The annual limit of 32 million travellers using Dublin Airport will necessitate a reduction in flights and seat availability this winter. Consequently, some holiday travellers intending to fly over the Christmas period may experience disappointment.
Rarely do I find myself in agreement with Michael O’Leary from Ryanair, yet his prediction of raised ticket prices due to the passenger limit at Dublin Airport is regrettably accurate. Comparable to an Oasis gig, a surge in demand due to limited seating will inevitably push up prices.
Unless the government steps in, airlines will increase the ticket prices and subsequently profit more on a per-traveller basis. With the limit persisting, a viable alternative could be the implementation of a substantial levy on every traveller passing through the airport during the autumn and winter seasons. A common outcome across both scenarios would be discernibly escalated fares, particularly for shorter flights, with the increase going either to airline stakeholders or the government.
However, the political challenge of imposing a lofty tax on travellers during the festive season may deter the government from increasing the budget, thereby indirectly contributing to heightened airline profits, as seen by Ryanair. In any case, the persisting cap will make it costlier to visit loved ones over Christmas.
Whilst there may be several acceptable policy motivations for imposing a cap – namely to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions due to air travel, decrease noise pollution for those living in flight path proximity, and reduce airport-related vehicular traffic – there exist better strategies for accomplishing these objectives than placing a limit on passenger numbers.
In on perspective of reducing airport-induced traffic, immediate solutions might include frequently available and reliable bus services, better shelter, efficient signage and real-time updates at the airport bus terminus. As for a long-term solution to this issue, the construction of a metro system should be prioritised.
When it comes to problematic noise, retrofitting the select homes affected can be the solution. My daughter’s residence in Minneapolis, directly below an air route where aircrafts traverse at a 3,500ft altitude, serves as a testament to the insulation strategy’s efficacy. Further acoustic insulation advancements were financed by the airport recently. Enhanced insulation not only mitigates sound but also results in energy conservation and a more comfortable domestic environment, even sans the harsh Midwest winters.
With our joint custody of the Earth, an international consensus that all aviation should be emission-taxed is necessary. The global inclination towards air travel outpaces even economic growth – vacations, corporate trips, family visits alike. It presents a formidable hurdle in achieving a decarbonised global economy. At present, over 500,000 Irish expatriates live abroad, with Ireland housing a million immigrants. Capping passenger numbers by separating families is an unrealistic strategy.
Given the absence of carbon-free alternatives, aviation will be one of the last fossil fuel consumers. The test lies in restraining the usage to the maximum extent, accelerating the search for an aviation-suitable alternative energy and curbing emissions.
The optimal means of achieving this is taxing aviation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of blanket per-passenger charges, the emission tax on aircrafts should correlate with the distance covered. A steady carbon tax increase has shaped the electric car industry’s development, with automakers’ survival hinging on a gradual shift from petrol to electric models.
Likewise, adequate taxation of aviation emissions will motivate major airplane and engine manufacturers to innovate more fuel-efficient and potentially carbon-free alternatives, given the immense profitability.
The EU already imposes an emission tax on aviation within its borders, a cost that will escalate over time. Nevertheless, taxing flights outside the EU proves to be more challenging. If a suitable tax was applied to flights from Paris to Singapore, passengers may be enticed to reroute via Istanbul, literally flying round the tax and causing greater pollution due to double take-offs and landings.
The necessity of a worldwide accord to tax air travel companies based on their emissions is pressing, given that we jointly inhabit the same globe. A recent report from the European Commission suggests that a global tax levied correctly could amount to nearly €140 billion. This could underwrite the creation of aviation technology that is carbon-neutral, while serving as an expansive investment in diminishing the carbon footprint of the global economic system. Unfortunately, the realisation of such a pact is still a distance away. Meanwhile, the EU should integrate a reward system alongside the imposition of taxation, stimulating research into aviation technologies that do not contribute to the carbon output.