InsureandGo offers customers the ability to offset the environmental impact of travelling
The insurer calls for APD to be scrapped, or reduced to only offset the carbon footprint of travel
To offset the carbon footprint of a short haul flight, APD should be around 85% less, or 81% lower for long haul flights
Alarming new research* from InsureandGo (www.insureandgo.com), the leading travel insurance provider, reveals that 76 routes from London airports were pulled by airlines between 25th March 2008 and 25th October 2009, resulting in the cancellation of 646 weekly flights with 95,500 seats. This is the highest rate of cancelled airline routes of any city in Europe. During this period, 59 airline routes were cancelled from Copenhagen - the second highest rate for a European city.
InsureandGo is warning that with the recent increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD) and proposed further rises next year, fewer people will fly which will put more pressure on airlines to cancel routes. The insurer, which allows its travel insurance customers to opt-in to a new scheme and pay from between £1.60 to £10.55 per person to offset the environmental impact of their trip, says that in the current economic climate and the difficulties facing the airline and travel industries, the government should scrap APD.
If it won’t do this, APD should only cover the cost of carbon offsetting a person’s travel. With this in mind, it estimates that the current APD rates should be around 85% lower for short haul trips and 81% for long haul. However, in November next year the Government is planning further increases in APD.
City |
Number of cancelled airline routes from this city between 25th March 2008 and 25th October 2009 |
Number of cancelled weekly flights as a result of these routes being pulled |
Estimated number of weekly seats lost as a result of these flights being pulled |
London |
76 |
646 |
95,500 |
Copenhagen |
59 |
350 |
44,700 |
Milan |
47 |
302 |
34,250 |
Berlin |
28 |
257 |
23,150 |
Paris |
33 |
227 |
34,800 |
Rome |
36 |
221 |
30,160 |
Oslo |
46 |
184 |
23,500 |
Stockholm |
36 |
184 |
26,500 |
Barcelona |
28 |
183 |
25,250 |
Madrid |
26 |
155 |
23,100 |
Perry Wilson, founder of InsureandGo, said: “All British airports are being adversely affected by the financial difficulties facing the airline industry, and we believe that the rise in APD will make matters worse.
“Between August 2008 and August 2009, over 1,000 weekly flights from our shores were cancelled as a result of airlines pulling routes – at a loss of over 146,000 seats per week*. “A rise in APD is a deterrent against people flying, and this could result in more routes being cancelled by airlines and jobs being lost.”
About InsureandGo’s carbon offset scheme
Working with Carbon Clear, InsureandGo will provide customers with the opportunity to buy “carbon offsets” when they purchase their travel insurance over the phone or online.
The carbon offsets linked to InsureandGo’s travel insurance policies will cost, on average, just £1.60 for a short haul flight and £10.55 for long haul. None of this money will go to InsureandGo – all of it is spent on renewable energy projects audited and approved by carbon management company Carbon Clear.
Mark Chadwick from Carbon Clear said: “The fact that InsureandGo is offering this service is great news for green consumers who want to reduce their carbon footprint.”
-ends-
Notes to editors
* InsureandGo analysis of Anna Aero data