Spain Plans To Ban Short-Haul Domestic Flights

Tourists planning to travel to Spain for a holiday are being warned the country is banning some short-haul domestic flights as part of its plan to reduce carbon emissions.

The Spanish government has proposed banning domestic short-haul flights where travellers can reach their destination within two-and-a-half hours or less by train or car.

The proposed restriction stems from a government agreement in Spain's Congress. Spain has contemplated the prohibition of these flights since 2021 as part of its environmental goals to achieve a more sustainable impact by 2050.

A similar law was implemented in France last year, and only three flight routes were removed from airline timetables when it went into force.

The exact effect of the ban cannot yet be determined, as the initiative still has to go through several stages of amendments before it will be voted on by the Senate.

Until then, it's unknown how many routes will be affected, as well as the amount of emissions avoided and the possible impact on tourism.

EU Green Deal

The European Union (EU) has a goal to be climate-neutral by 2050. The transport industry contributes to a quarter of emissions in the EU so one of the bloc’s aims is to focus on sustainable fuels and alternate ways of transportation.

Spain accounts for 9% of the greenhouse gases in the European Union, and the transport sector is its largest emitter.

Many countries are also in the process of introducing new laws that discourage air travel. Currently, rail transport is experiencing a significant boost in the EU.

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