Green Wing, greenwash

Richard — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:14:36 +0000

The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change research says we can't have unlimited aviation growth while still meeting our climate change targets - you know, the ones that try to stop us making life on earth rather unpleasant. The airlines disagree, of course - and spend large amounts of money telling us that you can have your cake and eat it too.

Someone forwarded me the Green Wing page of the British Airways magazine, where Willie Walsh answers your questions about the environment. They weren't very impressed by what they read: "I would have thought that questions about the link between aviation and the environment might relate to matters such as unnecessary flights within Britain and to Brussels and Paris or maybe even querying why we need to increase the number of flights which would require a third runway at Heathrow. But no. The top three questions that the world wants Willie to answer are:

"Would a third runway at Heathrow reduce the incidence of planes being put in a holding pattern and burning extra fuel? Does BA support the communities of developing nations? Are you planning to reduce the amount of packaging used in your meals?"

BA in 'ghost planes' airfix

Richard — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:00:49 +0000

"British Airways is committed to improving its environmental performance, and reducing the adverse impacts of its activities on the global and local environment." So says their website, which lauds the company's environmental record in "improving fuel efficiency and developing engagement with customers".

Pity that no one told their transatlantic division; it seems they've been caught flying empty planes between North America and the UK, in order to keep their landing slots at Heathrow open. Neither is it the first time this has happened - back in March British Mediteranean Airways (a franchise of BA) was sending jets between Heathrow and Cardiff to keep slots open.

Frankly, it's no wonder that this sort of madness occurs, when fuel is untaxed and planes so cheap to run. It just goes to show that for the aviation industry, when it comes to choosing between the environment and profit margins, those pound signs are always going to come out on top.