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Back in November, the Spanish government proposed a ban on flights that take less than 2.5 hours by train. Confirmation that the law will come into effect soon signals a win for the environment – but is it too good to be true?
In efforts to reduce its national carbon footprint, Spain has become the latest European country to ban domestic flights travelling distances reachable within 2.5 hours by train.
The ban will affect all flights with an existing rail alternative, but exceptions are being made for flights headed to a larger hub to connect to other international destinations.
The incoming ban was announced in Congress by Spain’s coalition government, which is made up of the country’s two leading political groups – the Socialist Party (PSOE) and the left-leaning Sumar Party.
The newly formed progressive coalition is reportedly also looking into restricting the use of private jets for short-haul flights.
Though leading parties agree that a short domestic ban is necessary, not every political party in Spain has welcomed the plans. Opposition parties PP and Vox are against it, with the latter saying it would make Spain ‘less competitive’ in the global airline industry.
For a number of years, Spain has been considering banning short-haul flights as part of its 2050 climate action plan. However, the anticipated consequences of the ban have seen environmental groups label it as ‘purely symbolic’ rather than impactful.
