All very shortsighted unfortunately, but particularly as it doesn't stop people from flying over to Amsterdam, Paris or Dublin, to get long haul flights and avoid such a punitive tax, if it comes about.
Moreover, it ignores the fact
(a) that it's in the interests of the economy for people to travel and indeed, one of the founding principles of the EU is the free movement of persons,
(b) that it's surely far more economical, from an environmental point of view for 180 people to fly on a 737 from London to (say) Glasgow than for the same number of people to travel in 45 cars, and
(c) that if there is a better mode of transport, environmentally speaking, it's probably rail (electric), but that's hardly a feasible option in the UK at the moment.