Flight-row Charles cancels Klosters trip

THE Prince of Wales has cancelled his regular skiing trip to Switzerland in a bid to help cut down his carbon 'footprint'.

The decision emerged in the wake of criticism levelled at Charles over his plans to fly to the US to receive an award for campaigning on green issues.

David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, weighed into the row when he joked: "Was it a particularly heavy award?"

Environmental campaigners have accused the Prince of "green hypocrisy" and demanded he use a video link to accept the award.

It is thought the move to cancel the skiing trip to Klosters this year was taken before criticism over the US trip began. Charles has spent part of his winter holidays in the town for more than 25 years.

The Prince is carrying out other engagements - including a performance by Rod Stewart - on his two-day visit to New York and Philadelphia with his wife Camilla next weekend.

But the focal point will be the Harvard Centre's award ceremony, where Charles will collect a Global Environmental Citizen prize from former winner Al Gore.

Travel costs for the trip, which is in addition to the Prince's main spring tour, will be met by taxpayers. It comes 14 months after Charles and Camilla last visited the US and four months before the Queen undertakes a state visit there.

Charles and Camilla are planning to use scheduled flights, instead of their usual method of charter flights.

It was reported that the Prince has booked the entire first and business class sections of a jumbo jet. But aides insisted they would book only 20 seats if they did travel scheduled. With an entourage of 20 for the trip, Charles and his aides would take up all of first class and around six seats in club class.

The use of scheduled flights stems from plans announced by Clarence House last month to make Charles's household more eco-friendly.

Official overseas visits using scheduled flights, instead of hiring a plane for themselves, would be considered if security allowed, aides have said.

In the summer, the Prince will publish details of his own carbon footprint and set a target to reduce substantially the carbon emissions of his office and household.