AIBU to ask how many of you are seriously revising whether (or how often) you fly again?

[Thelowquietsea]

We don't fly often (one flight a year tops, mostly to Europe) but reducing my air travel is one of the few differences I can make towards climate change.

And yet, I'm celebrating a big birthday this year. I had an idea to take myself to a retreat quite far away, and now it's 'booking' time, I can't quite bring myself to do it. Especially in light of Australia's tragedy. I'm really torn.

How many of you are making serious sacrifices in this area?

I fly across country 4-5 times a year to my home town family the alternative is at least twice the journey time driving with 2 children or extortionate train fares and a journey of again twice the length of flying

If alternatives to flying were genuinely easier/cheaper I’d do them but they’re not

Cost of flying will reduce these visits now both children need a seat

Not really. I have to fly for work, and we only have a holiday abroad every 2-3 years apart from that. It would make sod all difference to anyone except me if I stopped flying - I'd potentially lose my job.

We definitely avoid short-haul mini breaks now even though there are loads of destinations we’d love to visit. Can’t face knocking the annual summer holiday flights on the head though and due to family commitments we do go long haul every few years. Have started to pay for trees to be planted in the Highlands in a minuscule act of atonement...

We have stopped flying for leisure. DH may need to fly for work at some point this year (only to NI but he’s partially sighted so making his way slowly by car isn’t an option!) but he has/will avoid where possible to connect remotely.

We are happy driving or taking the Eurostar to France/Holland and feel better living closer to our values. SIL lives in NZ but I don’t imagine we will ever visit. I have family in Spain, Ireland, France and North Africa but we always drove to all of these places as a kid so it doesn’t seem a ridiculous feat to do so now if we ever feel the need.

I’ve flown long haul lots in the past, right now I don’t feel tempted to do it again as the guilt would surpass the pleasure. Happy exploring the beautiful British isles for now and we are also saving to take 6-12 months off work in a few years and do a family interrailing holiday.

I think it’s easier for me to give up because I’ve travelled a lot in the past, so I guess I’m trying to mitigate some of the lifelong footprint, would never tell anyone else to do the same.

I'm definitely trying to reduce my flying.
I fly a lot for work and also for leisure as my family is in one country, dh's in another and we live in a third.
With work, i try as much as possible to use teleconnections which these days can be good with the right equipment. Sometimes it's unavoidable, however, especially for longer meeting. But i push not to travel far for short meetings and cite climate impact as one of the reasons. Also try to bundle travel together as much as possible. I have downgraded from business class for environmental reasons too.
With leisure travel, other than visiting family, we are now trying to reduce further air travel.
I know we are part of the problem and I do feel bad about it but I guess there will always be people who will fly more by necessity and if everyone reduces, there will be an impact overall. We need incentives (I think it should be taxed more to account for carbon offsetting) and more carbon efficient alternatives, especially for short-haul. Ideally, there will be investment in alternatives to fossil fuels for flights too but i guess that's still a way off to be commercial.

I would love to not fly. But as the rail network in Britain is abysmal and expensive, I tend to fly to somewhere on the continent and get the train from there. Sometimes I can get the train instead of flying back. But there are very few ferry and train connections back to Britain and they get booked up quickly.

The plane is going whether I’m on it or not, you only live once and holidays as and when I can will not change.

We have fuck all money, so it's not difficult for us. We just flew across Europe for Christmas to visit family, first flight in 3 years. I'm 44 and have done two round-trip long haul flights in my life, DH has done just one.

We recycle, we buy 2nd hand things, we barely use the car. But we have one child and a dog, so that ups our footprint.

I'm amazed how often some people fly and that some would describe deciding not to fly as a "serious sacrifice".

We haven't flown at all since getting together 26 years ago. We drive to Europe using the ferry or Eurotunnel, or take the train. We are actually taking a flight later this year but that's a one-off.

It’s v interesting. Our family are in the UK (we are in Aus) and we fly once a year to see them. Can’t see that stopping as for us, facilitating a relationship between our children and their grandparents is important.

At the same time, my DH probably flies 10-12 times per year within Australia for work (between cities). We both find it amazing that technologies like conference calling aren’t used more to cut down on these flights but his work is adamant that physical presence is necessary. But Australia is so huge that alternatives are just not workable.

We are actually going on holiday here next week and heading from Sydney to the Gold Coast. To fly takes 1 1/2 hours but it’s a good 10-11 hour drive, not fun with two children.

Yes, until recently we used to fly a lot. We frequently went long haul all over the place stopping in as many places as possible. It was brilliant fun but excessive, and just feels too wrong now.

No need to. I haven't felt the need to fly anywhere since 2008 when I stopped having to work overseas a few times. DH had only flown once, around 20 years ago.

Me. Have already booked Iceland for Easter but instead of Sicily or Naples later we'll do Dorset or Northern France by car. Save Sicily /Naples for our one set of flights next year.

Never flown in my life
Never intend to unless for some reason it’s unavoidable (which is a pity because there are many places I’d like to see overseas, but just not worth it IMO)

Consider changing your diet before banning yourself from air travel. Even a small reduction of red meat consumption by every person worried about climate change, would make a huge difference.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46459714

We don’t need a handful of people doing it perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly (Anne-Marie Bonneau)

I haven't flown for 25 years. I'm unlike to do so again. I don't judge people that do, though...

We have made the decision not to fly, it isn't necessary when we can holiday in the UK or get the train to France/Belgium.
We have gone mostly veggie, recycle, haven't bought plastic bottles etc or bags for a long while, I have zero waste periods as will DD when the time comes.

I want to be able to look my kids and (hopefully) grandkids in the eye and say I tried my best.

I’m selfish, me flying a couple of times a year is not the biggest danger to the planet and holidays are a rare treat for us. I think the celebs and business people flying here, there and everywhere would make a bigger impact if They cut down on unnecessary flying, maybe do some conference calls rather than face to face meetings.
Then again if I get to be selfish and do what I want, I can’t really dictate what other people should do

I live in France and my children live in the UK. What do I do? When i have more time I will use other means to get to the UK.

But those who offset, be careful how you do it, I have been told that a lot of offsetting companies are dodgy, so do your homework.

For those who use, 'what difference will one person make' as an excuse to do nothing, how many of you are there? If everyone says that, then nothing will be done.

@rosy71 - you shouldn't be 'amazed'. Lots of people consider flying somewhere a highlight of their year. I love travelling to far flung destinations you can't get to by rail. It is a big sacrifice for me.

Different folks, different strokes etc.

Ps I rarely eat meat. Mostly eat vegan/vegetarian

I’d happily cut out meat but I need to travel. I have family all over the world.
I feel a bit sad because, as they say, nothing broadens the minds like books and travel. I wonder how it will change generations if people no longer travel to far off destinations and books don’t seem to hold much interest for many.

No.
DH flies to the other side of the world ( often return flights are longer than time spent on the job) for work when definitely people in the country he’s going to could do the job. It’s a well known “lefty” company that’s sending them on these jobs too.

I’m happy with my two hour flight, once a year.

If I want to see my family I (or they) have to fly so we're not reconsidering it at all.

I completely agree that unless governments start acting - and countries like China etc, in particular - my contribution is minimal. I'm better off spending my efforts going on short haul flight and offsetting it by actively protesting as often as possible.

But, if most of us assume our contribution makes no difference, and we do a couple of flights a year, it adds up to a lot.

No, I don't really think about it very much