Airlines could ditch flights to Australia, parliament told

With the weather forecast extremely bleak here in the UK at the moment, nothing sounds better than heading for some Aussie sun, does it?

That is saying something isn't it really, as it is winter Down Under - but large parts of Australia are still boasting temperatures way higher than us Brits are experiencing.

While it is obviously a trek to go across the world to Australia, flights are certainly not few and far between from the UK.

However, that could all change in the future as international airlines may cut back flights to Australia in the coming years due to the high levels of pollution produced on long-haul flights.

Australian parliament has been warned many long-haul flights to its country cold be a stumbling block to meeting future environmental commitments.

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While mandatory emissions reductions schemes for global aviation are still being negotiated, the Australian Airports Association (AAA) has said in a submission to a parliament inquiry that the country risks being 'priced out' when environmental protectors come into place over the next decade.

The AAA's submission reads: "As Australia is at the edges of the global air network with long distances from Australian airports to major regional and global hubs in Asia, North America and the Middle East, it is essential to ensure Australia remains a viable destination for international migration, tourism and business travel."

Reducing the frequency of flights to the southern hemisphere is one way climate targets can be met, though that could see Australia become less connected to other continents, potentially becoming disastrous for the country's tourist industry.

Also, such move would see flight prices to Australia rise significantly.

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The AAA has called for the Australian government to be an active voice on the negotiating table to ensure the country is not left behind.

"Failure to negotiate an effective and equitable deal for Australia may mean a contraction in Australia’s connectivity to the world," the AAA said.

James Goodwin, the chief executive of the AAA, added it is vital the Australian government is 'a strong voice at the international tables where these emissions reductions are being discussed and calculated'.

While Goodwin acknowledges there is no aviation restrictions affecting long-haul flights to Australia at the moment, he thinks its only a matter of time before restrictions are brought in.

He said: "As we approach 2030 this is going to become a much higher-profile issue. International emissions are in a policy no-man’s land at the moment, but what concerns us is if we suddenly have new regulations, if voluntary schemes become mandatory, we can’t risk losing connectivity because we haven’t spoken up enough at the table when these rules were being discussed."