Frequent flyer levy on the cards for UK travellers

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UK frequent flyers might have to pay more

The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) recently put forth a proposal to introduce a frequent flyer levy on UK citizens who travel a lot.

According to Travel News, the CCC stated that flying was a choice and not a necessity, adding 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, as per Travel News.

How much will flyers pay per flight?

Well, during last year’s COP29 in Azerbaijan, proposed taxes on frequent flyers in developed nations were explored.

The proposal planned to charge frequent flyers US$9 (R164) on top of their airfare for their second flight within a year.

This surcharge would then increase with every additional flight they take, up to US$177 (R3 237) for their twentieth flight within the same year.

The effect of air travel on climate change

While many may find the possible levy unfair, there’s no denying that frequent air travel is detrimental to the environment.

Air travel is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for around 2-3% of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Jet engines burn fossil fuels, releasing CO₂, nitrogen oxides, and water vapour at high altitudes, which intensifies their warming effects. And as air travel demand rises, so do its emissions, only adding to the climate crisis.