The proposal to ban short-haul flights in Spain is facing two contrasting views: environmental organizations applauding the move for its environmental benefits, while the aviation industry opposes it due to economic reasons. However, everyone is striving to minimize emissions as much as possible.
In France, domestic flights have already been banned for destinations that can be reached by train within two and a half hours. Now, Unidas Podemos has proposed implementing a similar measure in Spain but extending the corresponding train travel time to four hours. A study released by Ecologistas en Acción suggests that canceling short-haul flights with train alternatives lasting up to four hours could reduce CO2 emissions by 300,000 tons annually. If Spain were to replace the proposed 11 flight routes with trains, it could reduce the country’s domestic aviation emissions by 10%.
However, despite the measure, there are still many doubts about its actual effectiveness, and its impact is expected to be limited. The affected routes are those between the Spanish capital, Madrid, and other cities in the country, including Alicante, Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia. International flights are not subject to restrictions. Passengers who are unfamiliar with the Spanish high-speed train system or those who prefer connecting flights to reach their destinations may have a less favorable experience in the future.
It is still unknown whether any restrictions will be imposed on short-haul flights in the future, but it is worth keeping an eye on further developments.
