A government advisor says families need to stop taking foreign holidays so the UK can meet climate change targets.

Airport news for Flights,Travel on 05/09/2011.

Arrange your travel plans by choosing from car hire, hotels, flights, airport parking and travel insurance using our form.

The government has been accused of trying to shame British families into reducing the number of foreign holidays they take. Simon Buck, head of the British Air Transport Association, has criticised what he sees as attempts at ‘shaming people’ into avoiding flying abroad on holidays.

The complaint follows the publication of a report into ways the government can reduce the effect aviation has on the environment. Consultants AEA, working with EMRC, produced a range of proposals on behalf of the Department for Transport.

The work was performed as part of attempts by the government to implement CO2-reduction targets set by the previous administration. The Labour government planned by 2050 to bring CO2 emissions levels down to those seen in 2005.

The Coalition government is now reviewing those targets. The report produced by

EMRC and AEA concludes that steps could be taken to promote different travel behaviour amongst passengers in a bid to cut the demand for flights.

The report says that passengers could be made more aware of the carbon footprint created by air travel and they could be encouraged to take fewer overseas holidays. Simon Buck responded with fury, saying the report seeks to shame people into not flying to holidays.

Mr Buck asks if it is correct to engender shame in people for taking yearly holidays in the sun. He goes on to ask if such logic could be extended to people being told what cars they should drive or how many children they should have.

More Airport News