'Flying Factories' to pay the price

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 14th Nov 2007

Airliners must contribute towards cutting carbon emissions

South East Liberal Democrat MEP Sharon Bowles has given her backing to plans to make aircraft operators contribute towards curbing carbon emissions.

Air travel is experiencing spectacular growth, with the number of passengers using the region's airports higher than ever and showing no signs of slowing down.

But powerful jet aircraft have been compared to 'flying factories' when it comes to emitting global warming gases.

Operators will be required to join the EU emissions trading scheme in a bid to ensure that they contribute towards reducing the scale of the problem.

MEPs have called for tighter controls than first proposed and for all airlines operating flights to Europe, including those based overseas, to be signed up by 2011.

Sharon Bowles has welcomed the plans as a useful first step.

She said: "The cost of flying has fallen dramatically over the past 10 years, but the real price will be paid not just by future generations but in our life times if we don't apply pressure to curb the rise in emissions.

"Carbon trading will ensure that reductions are made at the lowest possible cost. It will add a few pounds to the cost of flights but I have no doubt that the growth in air travel will continue to soar."