Record Flight Numbers Prompt Environment Concerns

A record number of flights were handled by National Air Traffic Services (NATS) on September 1st, marking a ever increasing popularity of air travel to and from the UK.

However, environmental campaigners have reacted negatively to the news, saying that continued airport expansion and a rise in the number of flights was causing huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) to be released into the atmosphere.

"Aviation is the fastest growing cause of greenhouse gases and research from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research showed that unless we massively reduce the amount of air travel there is no way we will meet our climate change targets," complained Joss Jarman, a spokesperson for the pressure group Plane Stupid.

"The government needs to introduce an air tax and it needs to scrap plans for airport expansion," he added.

"Not only are they not trying to curb emissions they are actually trying to encourage further air travel."

This summer has seen a rise in the number of people flying abroad on holiday, despite recent security alerts and the threat of delays.

Check out our UK Net Guide flight search!