France has enacted a ban on certain short flights since they think people should be taking the train instead, and that this is better for the environment. But since they’re limiting short flights at capacity-constrained Orly airport, you’re just getting short flights replaced by longer ones. More emissions!
A lot of European concern over the environment is virtue signaling that winds up counterproductive, or just cheap talk. At least France uses nuclear power!
Any criticisms of the aviation industry in Europe are unserious though because European aviation is more carbon intensive than U.S. aviation as a result of European government policies.
Specifically, European air traffic control protectionism forces planes to fly longer, less direct routes and burn more fuel.
Europe has fragmented air traffic control, and the European Commission plan to “finally achieve a single, unified airspace with more efficient and more climate-friendly aircraft operations” doesn’t actually do that because European member states, and their air traffic controller unions, don’t want to cede any of their local control.
As transportation researcher Bob Poole writes, Europe has “three times as many en-route centers as the United States, to serve a much smaller number of daily flights.” Air traffic control is more expensive, and flights “follow zig-zag paths through the convoluted airspace, rather than the most efficient (and hence least environmentally damaging) routes.”
Metric U.S. continental Eurocontrol members Area (sq. km.) 10.4 million 11.5 million # of ANSPs 1 37 Approach control facilities 26 16 En-route facilities 20 62 Airports with towers 517 406 Average daily flights 41,874 28,475 Total ANSP staff 31,647 51,130 Controllers 12,170 17,794 % of ANSP staff 38.5% 32.3% Source: “FAA/Eurocontrol Comparison of Air Traffic Management-Related Operational Performance: US/Europe.” (https:www.ansperformance.eu)
Europe won’t do facility consolidation. Instead, they’re going to settle for “performance plans with binding targets and incentives to make flights more efficient and environmentally friendly.” Ireland’s transportation minister called out the charade as being the result of lobbying and that it will do virtually nothing for the environment or economic efficiency.
Since airlines have to plan for longer flight paths because of local air traffic control, Eurocontrol actually advises that pilots not request and controllers not grant requests for more direct routings because that’s just going to mean early arrivals without gates.
Meanwhile, easyJet plans to count unnecessary emissions on each of its routes. They’re burning mad over the cost of wasted fuel.
Interesting. I do think it’s worth mentioning that the USA is badly in need of more air traffic controllers and if we had the number we need the differences would be less stark.
“Any criticisms of the aviation industry in Europe are unserious though because European aviation is more carbon intensive than U.S. aviation as a result of European government policies”?
Isn’t there a typo somewhere in there? Or maybe I am just misunderstanding how “unserious” are the “unserious” criticisms of the aviation industry in Europe?
@GUWonder statement is accurate, though perhaps I should have phrased differently?
European aviation is made more carbon intensive by European government territoriality. Any criticisms need to start there.
How many times have we seen this movie?
Act one: Problem (real or imaginary) identified
Act two: Government makes rules, hurts businesses/individuals and spends lots of money it doesn’t have
Act three: Problem is worse.
you stop that, Gary!
you can’t tell the truth about the EU’s fragmented reality and the fact that the “dumb USA” manages to be more fuel efficient without giving much of a flip about fuel efficiency!
The world’s largest petroleum producer doesn’t care about fuel efficiency.
Business does and the USA figures out how to be more fuel efficiency than the folks that lose sleep worrying about it!
Yeas, the US should relinquish the Boston Tracon to Nav Canada since most of the TATL flights going to Boston transit via Canada. This unified apporach will ensure the least damage to the environment.
The often congested South Florida one should be merged with teh Cuban one and because operating costs in Cuba are likely lower, we could just consolidate in Havana.
“France has enacted a ban on certain short flights since they think people should be taking the train instead, and that this is better for the environment. But since they’re limiting short flights at capacity-constrained Orly airport, you’re just getting short flights replaced by longer ones. More emissions!”
This has to be the most ludicrous paragraph ever. First, shorter flights are more emission intensive than longer flights on a per mile basis.
The info in the table is interesting and revealing. I do wonder, however, what our metrics would look like if our 50 states were 50 different countries.
I understand that nationalism and protectionism has implications with regard to making travel less efficient than it possibly could be, but isn’t that a serious criticism (rather than an unserious criticism) being noted?
And with regard to transport, it’s not just aviation that has some inefficiency because of nationalism and protectionism. Even surface transport can get some serious criticism for some inefficiencies caused by historical nationalism, protectionism (and the related feelings of insecurity which drive nationalism and protectionism).
Note that because AF is pressured to reduce flying to certain cities reachable by train from CDG, there are many more saver awards in business class from the US to CDG connecting on by TGV/Thalys (Plane + Train) than you might normally see. So works for me. Though I wish they would reopen the CDG arrivals lounge or at least have a small train lounge like in ZYR or AMS. The Sheraton lobby does not quite cut it.
Do I get this right? You’re suggesting fewer short haul flights means more emissions because it will cause more people to fly to faraway destinations? This is nonsense.
And then more nonsense complaining that European ATC sends planes on circuitous routes. Each country has clear rules for where planes can and can’t fly to minimize the noise and pollution for those on the ground.
Gary you are very knowledgeable on the accelerating demise of loyalty programs, but it’s painful to see your uninformed comments on items like Costco returns and EC environmental policy.