The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) has put forward a proposal to introduce a frequent flyer levy on UK citizens, stating that flying is a choice and not a necessity.
The CCC claims that the levy should limit growth in airline traffic to meet its goal of only 16% growth on 2025 levels by 2040.
“This is a tax that increases with the number of flights an individual takes. As higher income groups tend to be less responsive to price changes, tax rates would need to be sufficiently high to manage demand,” the CCC said in its proposal and Seventh Carbon Budget.
The CCC also suggests Air Passenger Duty should be increased and additional bands added to better reflect the emissions impact of flying.
During last year’s COP29 in Azerbaijan, talks of taxes on frequent flyers in developed nations were explored. The proposal, found in COP29 Interim Progress Report, planned to charge frequent flyers US$9 (R168) on top of their airfare for their second flight within a year. This surcharge would increase with every additional flight they take, up to US$177 (R5 105) for their twentieth flight within the same year. The conversation was tabled for discussion at COP30 that will take place in Brazil this year.
