Lets get real folks, the UK Government doesn't really give a toss about the environment, all they really care about is boosting its coffers and making as much money as it possible can through taxation in its easiest form.
They (we) know full well that people will always fly, Joe Public will ALWAYS go on holiday in the summer, and business folks will always use any excuse not to use video conferencing in favour of flying off to Vegas for the week!
The point being, Aviation is a soft target. People WILL stump up the extra tax cash to fly..... They wont like it, but they WILL do it, and the Government knows it!
A few years ago, fat boy 'Two Jags' Prescott (the then Deputy PM), declared that everyone should get out of their cars and on to public transport. Well there are 2 problems with that fatty, firstly, if everyone suddenly decided to do that then the smelly, expensive UK public transport system would grind to a halt in 12 minutes flat, because its ALREADY overcrowded, and secondly if everyone stopped buying petrol, then the 87% the Government takes in fuel duty (the most in the world) would suddenly stop and the country would become bankrupt in a matter of weeks. So despite the fact that cars in the UK are amongst the most heavily taxed in the world, it doesn't stop people from driving, the same goes for flying.......... another soft/easy target.
Lets face it, air travel is cheeper today than it has ever been. When I was about 9 years old, my folks took me on holiday to Antigua, back then (many moons ago), BA only had 1 flight a week there which went via St Lucia. The cost of 1 Economy ticket....... 1800 quid! The same today would be around 500 including a weeks full board hotel. Tellingly back then only those that could afford it could travel, today all and sundry are flying... good or bad, that's now the way it is, and it will never change because the traditional Bognor Regis summer holiday makers have now had a taste of 'the high life' and will not be prepared to give it up...... So to all you sandal wearing, Guardian reading, unemployed hippie oxygen thieves...... Get over it!!!
This rip off attitude (and the bend over and take it up the wrong 'un stance of the British public) is one of the (many) reasons I emigrated from the UK in the first place.
Jeremy Clarkson for PM I say............. maybe then I'll come back!!