38% say they would be willing to pay more to reduce their carbon emissions produced by their flight

The survey, commissioned by the Royal Aeronautical Society, found more support than opposition to a frequent flyer tax, and also overall support to a lesser degree for increased taxation of aviation when the money raised is invested in decarbonising air travel.

Only a minority (38%) of respondents say they would be willing (8% “very willing”, 30% “fairly willing”) to pay more to reduce their carbon emissions produced by their flight.

Around half of the respondents are willing to have their comfort or convenience impacted in various ways in order to reduce their carbon emissions of their flight (for example, when shown “Have less flexibility in when you fly, due to fewer flights happening each day”, 59% said they would be either “very” – 15% - or “fairly” – 44% - willing to do this).

There is more support than opposition to a frequent flyer tax (53% “strongly support” or “tend to support”, vs. 23% “strongly” or “tend to” oppose), and also overall support to a lesser degree for increased taxation of aviation when the money raised is invested in decarbonising air travel (40% selected answers to indicate they support this, with 11% selecting “strongly support” and 29% selecting “strongly oppose”). However, there is net opposition to increased taxation of airfares used for general government spending (39% “strongly” or “tend to” oppose this, vs. 32% “strongly” or “tend to” support).

Technical note: 

The RAeS contracted Ipsos UK to survey a representative quota sample of 2,105 adults aged 16-75 in the United Kingdom using its online i:omnibus between 13th and 17th December 2024. The sample obtained is representative of the population with quotas on age, gender, region and working status. The data has been weighted to the known offline population proportions for age, working status and social grade within gender, and for government office region and education, to reflect the adult population of the United Kingdom.

 

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