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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask you to stop flying

999 replies

Walkingthere · 05/06/2019 21:16

We are facing a climate disaster. Our children will have to live through it. And yet I overheard two women today discussing how many holidays abroad they had been on this year. Both over 60 years of age. Obviously it will not directly impact on them.
This is also very common in my social group, people jetting off 4-5 times a year. Mini-breaks, weekends away, European trips, long haul, hen do's, weddings, birthdays. It's unbelievable how much people are burying their heads in the sand.

We need to stop flying. Urgently. Now. My family have not flown in over 5 years. We used to travel a lot, before we realised the consequences. I am putting this here, to make people think, we all need to urgently reduce (ideally stop) flying now.

OP posts:
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12
littlepeaegg · 05/06/2019 21:17

No way!

elQuintoConyo · 05/06/2019 21:19

Once every three years, 2 hour flight. Am I allowed? To see family, not to just spunk out on a far-flung beach.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 05/06/2019 21:19

We go on holiday once a year, sometimes every other year. Holidays aren’t the problem. It’s business flights for things that could be done remotely.

Sparklesocks · 05/06/2019 21:20

I absolutely agree we need major changes, but at the moment 100 companies are responsible for 70% of the world’s emissions - changing a few flights a year per individual will barely touch the sides until industries make major changes.

MrsApplepants · 05/06/2019 21:20

We fly once a year for a long haul holiday, no other realistic means of getting there. So no I won’t be stopping our annual return flight.

Chippychipsforme · 05/06/2019 21:21

No.

pointythings · 05/06/2019 21:21

We should all fly less. Saying we should not fly at all just isn't realistic and will only get people's backs up. My mum died not long ago - she lived abroad. I went to the funeral by air. Sue me.

MummytoCSJH · 05/06/2019 21:21

YABU. There are a lot of things that are worse for the environment that would be simpler to change, many of which are well known, its just that people can't be arsed. Preventing people travelling, not so much.

Caxx · 05/06/2019 21:22

No deal!!!

ShakeYourTailFeathers · 05/06/2019 21:23

Good for you... my family are 3000 miles away...

thetonsillolith · 05/06/2019 21:23

We should try to fly less, yes. Absolutely. We fly, at very most, once every two years.

Telling people to 'stop flying' is a bit daft though. You can't tell people to stop visiting their families. You can't tell people that they can't move across the world to further their career.

Longdistance · 05/06/2019 21:24

Foxtrot Oscar!

DesparateDino · 05/06/2019 21:25

I try not to fly. We took the train to Spain last week, or we use the Brittany Ferry.

But we like going to the USA in August and there is no way around that.

chipsandpeas · 05/06/2019 21:26

no chance

wildcherries · 05/06/2019 21:26

Yeah, no. Family and friends all over the world. Tell the business people who fly in and out on the same day for something that could often be done over Skype or similar.

theanxiousmammy · 05/06/2019 21:26

Do you think because your family hasn't flown in 5 years that has made any difference? There are so many other contributing factors to climate change, a few people not going on an aeroplane will not result in less aeroplanes in the sky.

thetonsillolith · 05/06/2019 21:27

Also I've just seen your reply to another thread OP and you are a two car family, so you have absolutely no right to tell anybody to stop doing anything.

sheshootssheimplores · 05/06/2019 21:28

Happily. I don’t have a passport and am holidays in Devon this year.

Spudina · 05/06/2019 21:29

I have actually stopped flying. Last year I went to Provence and basked in 40degree heat. I went on the train. It was easy. But I do think that it's not so much Mr and Mrs Smiths annual flight that we need to concentrate on as much as businesses who fly people round the world on a daily basis instead of teleconferencing. Also if we all ate more seasonally and think about airmiles in our food that would help too. It takes the weight of a Kiwi in CO2 to get a kiwi from NZ. Italy produce them and they don't travel anywhere near as far.

Cassie19876 · 05/06/2019 21:30

What a miserable existence that would be!!!!! I fly twice a month, sometimes more. Not giving it up, if you were so concerned for th3 environment, why did you have kids OP ?

DCDA · 05/06/2019 21:30

I am in my 60s and my 17 year old Goddaughter has a bigger carbon foot print as regards flying than I will ever have.

Maybe just cull everyone at 65 and help save the planet for your children.

UnderPompeii · 05/06/2019 21:31

Well my DH wouldn't have a job if he didn't travel frequently and we wouldn't be able to pay our mortgage so, er.... that's a no from me.

Greggers2017 · 05/06/2019 21:31

We go abroad 2-4 times a year. We do this because we like the weather and also visit family.
Had holidays in Britain this year due to being pregnant. Weather was shit both times and ended up spending a fortune on things to do
Indoors.
Not for me sorry.

Strawberrypancakes · 05/06/2019 21:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Witchofzog · 05/06/2019 21:32

A two car family telling people not to fly. Haha.