The UK government is considering proposals that would require airlines to include carbon offsetting payments in the sale of every plane ticket, potentially adding nearly £30 to a flight from London to New York and £5 to a London-Madrid journey.
Under the plans, the charge would be voluntary in name, but passengers would have to actively opt out of the payment. Similar measures could also be applied to trains, buses, and ferries. The move is part of broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with transport accounting for roughly a third of Britain's CO2 output last year.
Currently, only half of airlines offer passengers the chance to offset emissions, and just 1% of customers choose to pay the additional fee, which is typically spent on tree planting or solar panel installations. Ryanair runs an offsetting scheme, while British Airways does not, though it encourages donations to carbon reduction projects.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: 'An offsetting scheme could help inform travellers about how much carbon their journey produces and provide the opportunity to fund schemes, like tree planting, to compensate for those emissions.' He added that the government's focus remains on developing zero-emission technology across all transport modes.
The proposals come as Air Passenger Duty continues to rise, with rates set to increase again from April next year. The government has also committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to almost zero by 2050 as part of its 'net-zero' plan.
