Tag: air travel

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A Tory tax on air travel – flying a kite?

In a surprise move, the Tories have announced plans to tax air travel as part of their environmental policy. It was no surprise to hear the airlines criticise this, but disquiet about this policy has been expressed in traditional Tory circles and it amounts to a significant departure from the past for the party. Are they just flying a kite, or is this a serious policy initiative?

Tories reveal plans for green tax hike on air travel Guardian (11/3/07)
Tory plan for sky-high flight taxes Scotsman (11/3/07)
Airlines shoot down Tory ‘tax on fun’ Telegraph (12/3/07)
Green tax won’t help the planet or the Tories Telegraph (11/3/07)
Tories plan green tax on flights BBC News Online (11/3/07)

Questions

1. Why might a free market in air travel not result in an optimal number of flights.
2. Discuss the likely effectiveness of the tax on flying for reducing the demand for air travel. (You should consider the likely value of the price elasticity of demand in your answer.)
3. With the use of appropriate diagrams, assess the likely impact of the tax on flying on the equilibrium level of price and output in the market for air travel.
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Offsetting carbon regulations

The world of ‘carbon offsetting’ has suddenly become trendy. With bands like Coldplay and the Rolling Stones making their tours ‘carbon neutral’ and government ministers offsetting all the environmental cost of their overseas travel, the industry has hit the limelight. Even Tony Blair, under pressure over his personal holidays has relented and agreed that he will offset all his personal travel. However, up to now the industry has been unregulated and standards have been uncertain. Defra has now set new standards for the industry to comply with and the articles below consider the impact of this regulation.

Questions

1. Using diagrams as appropriate, explain how carbon offsetting is intended to reduce the environmental impact of plane travel.
2. Discuss the effectiveness of carbon offsetting as an approach to reducing the impact of increasing plane travel.
3. Suggest one demand-side and one supply-side policy to reduce the carbon emissions resulting from air travel and assess their relative effectiveness.