Frequent Flyer Levy

Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about aviation, climate change, and the potential for a frequent flyer levy.

Given that it remains the largest contributor to UK emissions, decarbonising our transport sector must be a priority for the Government. Aviation is a key part of that. The Committee on Climate Change has warned that aviation is likely to be the largest emitting sector in the UK by 2050, even with strong progress on technology and limiting demand.

The Government has said it is not considering introducing a frequent flyer levy. However, as you highlight, 70% of UK flights are taken by 15% of the population, and it is clear this needs addressing. As things stand, we appear to be nowhere near meeting the challenges ahead of us on climate change reduction and a lot more new policies and new thinking will be needed.

The Government has said it plans to meet its aviation net zero targets through technology, the development and growth of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), as well as increasing efficiencies and methods to remove greenhouse gases.

SAF alone could be used to reduce emissions from the UK aviation sector by a third by 2050. There is huge potential for us to make progress in developing these fuels and I would like to see us capitalise on the opportunities to grow industries in green technology.

Although technological solutions have potential in the future, action also needs to be taken now. For example, our airspace, which is an invisible part of our vital infrastructure, was originally designed in the 1950s but has not been modified significantly since then. The Government must explain how the much-needed airspace modernisation programme will be funded, as it could reduce emissions from aviation considerably.

More widely, I disagree with the Government’s decision to cut Air Passenger Duty (APD) on domestic flights, which is expected to result in a 3.5% increase in passenger journeys.

Decarbonising our transport sector is one of the most pressing challenges we face, and we need more ambition from the Government if we are to meet net zero.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.

Yours Sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP