Future Flight: Tax on Scotland-London frequent flyers sought by Scottish Greens to make rail more attractive

Frequent fliers should be taxed to stem increasing aviation emissions and fund improvements to make trains more attractive, the Scottish Greens have urged.

Air passengers who make multiple trips between Scotland and London and other destinations accessible by rail would be targeted under the plans to be discussed with the party’s SNP partners in the Scottish Government.

However, flights to the Scottish islands would be excluded, along with holiday trips, the Scottish Greens’ transport spokesperson Mark Ruskell told The Scotsman in the latest part of our Future Flight series on Scottish aviation.

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The move came as the UK Government halved air passenger duty (APD) on flights within the UK from Saturday to £6.50 per person to bring it into line with Europe, which is expected to fuel an increase in short-haul air travel.

The Scottish Greens said a frequent flyer tax could fund rail improvements to encourage passengers to switch to trains. Picture: PAThe Scottish Greens said a frequent flyer tax could fund rail improvements to encourage passengers to switch to trains. Picture: PA
The Scottish Greens said a frequent flyer tax could fund rail improvements to encourage passengers to switch to trains. Picture: PA

Scottish ministers abandoned plans to take over APD and replace it with a new air departure tax (ADT), which would have been halved and then abolished, after declaring a climate emergency in 2019.

Mr Ruskell acknowledged that aviation was excluded from the Bute House agreement – the SNP-Greens power-sharing deal – but said a “fresh conversation” was required if Scotland was to meet its emissions targets.

He said: "It’s hard to see how we can redouble efforts to meet our legally-binding obligations while allowing aviation to expand.

"It would be unfair to say aviation can continue its emissions while drivers and other parts of the transport sector have to decarbonise faster.

Mark Ruskell wants a tax on frequent fliers to fund rail improvements to make it more competitive with air travel. Picture: Scottish GreensMark Ruskell wants a tax on frequent fliers to fund rail improvements to make it more competitive with air travel. Picture: Scottish Greens
Mark Ruskell wants a tax on frequent fliers to fund rail improvements to make it more competitive with air travel. Picture: Scottish Greens

"The key action for the Scottish Government to take right now would be to look at the powers that it has and how a frequent flyer tax could be introduced.

"It could ensure there’s a more competitive playing field in relation to rail in terms of pricing and also create a revenue stream that could be used to invest in rail

"The real focus would be on flights to London or other flights within the UK where there is a rail alternative.

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"A lot of people fly to go on holiday and see family and friends, and people on the islands will probably fly more regularly – those would not be the target for any fiscal measure to reduce frequent flying.

While Scotland's main airports are still recovering from the Covid pandemic which began in 2020, half of them have more flights than a decade ago. Source: Cirium. Picture: Colin HeggieWhile Scotland's main airports are still recovering from the Covid pandemic which began in 2020, half of them have more flights than a decade ago. Source: Cirium. Picture: Colin Heggie
While Scotland's main airports are still recovering from the Covid pandemic which began in 2020, half of them have more flights than a decade ago. Source: Cirium. Picture: Colin Heggie

"In the design of any scheme, there has to be a recognition that lifeline rural flights are important for the economic and social state of island communities.”

However, Mr Ruskell said other measures, such as “sustainable aviation fuel”, were unrealistic options in the short term. He said: “We are not meeting our climate change targets. We need transformational change. Simply putting a different type of fuel into the tanks of planes is not going to do it.”

Scottish Conservatives transport spokesperson Graham Simpson dismissed the proposal. He said: “This vague idea would presumably hit people flying through London to other destinations too. It’s nonsense. If the Greens want more people to travel by train then they should be promoting cheaper rail fares.”

The Scottish Government said it remained “fully committed” to introducing ADT when a solution was found to the Highlands and Islands being exempt from APD.

Its spokesperson said: “We continue to work with the UK Government to find a solution for aviation that remains consistent with our climate ambitions.”

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