Originally Posted by
733driver
These "whatoubatisms" won't help us at all. This has nothing to do with empty economy class seats on holiday flights, of which there are not many, in my experience (empty seats that is), or less than full trains, busses or ferries (Do you have statistics do back up your claims by the way?)
There is no getting away from the fact that private jets, are very, very wasteful in terms of fuel and it can't be good for the environment, regardless of the climate debate. Empty legs even more so. I could drive my car for many years with the fuel burned on the positioning fights I do in just one week. So let's not try to deflect form that but acknowledge it instead. I don't think private aviation will be going anywhere soon but it will have to get ready for some tough questions and be part of the solution.
Actually, I do have copious amounts of data - been dealing with this now for over 15 years due to the operation I run. Been to court as well. Had Ministers of Transport quote our operation as an example of sustainable transport. A great deal of the work we've done is quoted worldwide.
Much of this is about zealots pursuing their strongly held views to extremes - they don't like aviation. Some of the claims have truth in them but the hypocrisy is shocking. Having fought many challenges legally I have found that, with these groups, the truth is that they don't like your mess but their mess is ok and that any lie is ok to win the argument. That's where the whataboutism, if that's what you wish to term it, comes in. We can all do better.
As for ferries and trains etc etc - out of peak times (daily or seasonal or worse, both) they're off the scale per person, in terms of pollution. If you live in remote areas and/or with a low population the numbers are even worse. To make matters worse - add on the transport subsidies these areas normally receive (n.b. the activities which created the wealth to provide the money for the subsidies).
Comparisons need deep scrutiny and the whole system and associated infrastructure needs to be taken into consideration - for example, with cars you need roads, bridges etc etc - concrete/steel etc etc (concrete 8% of worldwide emissions with aviation 2.5%) ??
Best