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Date Published: 12/06/2023

Spain could soon follow France and ban short-haul flights

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A study shows that air travel in Spain generates twice the carbon footprint of high-speed trains

Spain could soon follow France and ban short-haul flights

Last month, the French government made a pioneering move to ban all short-haul domestic flights that can be covered by train in a bid to reduce carbon emissions. This climatic consideration could set an important precedent for other European countries, including Spain, which has been threatening similar measures for several years.

In particular, the Barcelona-Madrid air corridor has come under the spotlight since a recent study suggests that flights generate more than twice the harmful emissions as high-speed rail travel over the same distance.

According to the research conducted by travel experts Mabrian and Phocuswright, there have been 5,744 flights between Barcelona and the Spanish capital over the last 12 months, a journey of just 630 kilometres that a train can make in around 2.5 hours.

It’s also worth remembering that passengers have to get to the airport earlier to catch a flight and since the airports are located outside the cities, the door-to-door travel time tends to be shorter when hopping on the train.

By opting to fly, each passenger is responsible for producing 40 kilograms of CO2, while the carbon footprint of rail customers over the same distance is only 17.2 kilos. This can be reduced further, to 9.6 kilograms per person, if renewable fuel is used.

According to Mabrian's calculations, the total CO2 emissions generated by the air service in the last year amounts to around 54,000 tonnes. This figure represents a 132% increase in emissions compared to the 27,000 tonnes that would be emitted by high-speed trains with the same number of passengers.

There are actually more railway companies offering services between Madrid and Barcelona these days than airlines and with the average train ticket coming in at three euros cheaper, it’s essentially more cost-effective to be kinder to the environment.

With rail operators in Spain offering cheaper and more frequent routes, the future of the Barcelona-Madrid flight path looks uncertain. However, a separate study commissioned by airline Iberia has attempted to highlight the financial value of short-haul flights, which it estimates contributed 329 million euros to GDP in 2022 and generated almost 6,000 full-time jobs.

"Domestic routes are essential for connectivity within Spain and also abroad, in addition to the fact that they contribute significantly to the creation of wealth and employment in our country," the airline stressed.

In addition, Iberia maintains that domestic flights account for less than 1% of total CO2 emissions in Spain, a percentage that decreases each year "thanks to investments in sustainable aviation and fleet renewal."

In other news: Flight fiasco: Airlines in Spain and France call more June strikes

Image: Pixabay

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