Would it be a problem if young people flew more than baby boomers?

According to a recent survey conducted by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), young people fly more frequently than baby boomers, despite often claiming to be particularly attentive to environmental issues. Air transport is indeed one of the major sources of carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. As explained by the Telegraph, many young people recognize the environmental impact of flights, but do not always change their travel habits accordingly. The reasons for this apparent contradiction may include both practical and economic factors. Another element—difficult to verify—that could explain the increase in travel among young people is the desire to make up for lost time due to the restrictions imposed during the pandemic. As the Telegraph points out, before 2020 the number of travelers across different age groups was much more balanced—today, however, young users are the majority. In particular, looking at the data collected by the CAA, it emerges that almost three-quarters of Britons aged 18 to 34 have taken a flight in the past year, while among those over 55, this percentage drops to about half. Moreover, two-fifths of young people plan to fly even more next year—a proportion twice as high as that of baby boomers. The CAA survey highlights how young people consider ticket prices the biggest disincentive to air travel—more than environmental concerns.

Among those who have not recently taken a flight, 38% cited ticket costs as the main obstacle, while only 7% mentioned reasons related to emissions. Even the fear of flying was mentioned more often than climate concerns. Despite issues related to delays and sustainability, air travel continues to enjoy a high level of satisfaction among travelers, especially younger ones. The CAA survey reveals that 80% of passengers report being satisfied with their flight experience in the past year, while the percentage drops to 60% for train or bus travel. Another aspect highlighted by the report concerns the willingness to pay to offset the environmental impact of individual flights: such initiatives, offered by various airlines, allow passengers to invest in projects that balance aircraft emissions, for example, by funding initiatives that reduce CO₂ emissions. However, less than 15% of travelers choose to do so—and it also seems that only half of them do so with full awareness. A matter that divides Gen Z and baby boomers concerns how the costs for reducing the environmental impact of air transport should be covered. While a third of older consumers say they are in favor of including this expense in ticket prices, Gen Z tends not to appreciate this solution, instead believing that the government should bear the cost.

Compared to baby boomers, those under 30 seem more convinced that the aviation sector will eventually find solutions to reduce its environmental impact. However, the energy transition in this field is particularly challenging, given that, to date, there are no convincing technologies that can even aspire—in the long term—to significantly reduce emissions produced in flight. The fundamental problem for airlines is that taking off and keeping an aircraft in the air requires—as one might imagine—a great deal of energy, which today is obtained through the combustion of kerosene—the primary fuel used in aircraft. For this reason, aviation is responsible for about 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions. A significant percentage, to which numerous other pollutants released in flight must be added. Moreover, the demand for air connections is increasing and is expected to continue to rise, especially in developing countries. Some forecasts do not rule out that by 2050, the sector's carbon dioxide emissions could even double.