The COVID-19 pandemic has not yet disappeared, but many people are starting to feel one way or another that the epidemic phase is over and that the era of the virus is a thing of the past. As countries have begun to gradually lift COVID-19 restrictions and travel restriction measures, some of them abruptly, such as in the UK, people "hungry" for travel adventures around the world are expected to start catching up. lost time. Everyone wants to be "big" during the holidays this year.
The aviation and tourism industries are eager for such a resurgence after two years of struggling to "survive" and keep business as usual.
But there are those who are trying to satisfy this renewed desire to travel by launching initiatives never seen before in the sector: for example, Alaska Airlines has launched a subscription air service in the United States, the first airline in the world to do so.
How does a subscription-based air service work?
This is done by purchasing a "standard" or "basic" air ticket so that airline subscribers can fly up to 24 return flights during the year. The subscription will allow them to travel between 16 cities on the West Coast for a fee starting at just 43 euros, equivalent to $ 49 per month.
There is also the option to book flights with much shorter notice than the mandatory 90 days required by a standard subscription. To access this feature, the service can cost up to 660 Euros ($ 749) per month. With the "Professional" pass, passengers can book their flight only two hours before departure.
In addition to the monthly fee, subscribers are required to pay airport taxes, fees and a nominal fee, which Air Alaska estimates at around 26 euros, or around $ 29.20 for round-trip travel.
Apparently, this initiative is a deal for frequent flyers, but there is a problem as the subscriber has to commit to a 12-month membership with the only option to cancel at the end of this period.
Encouraging frequent travelers is bad for the environment
This "disruptive" initiative in the aviation sector appears to be a direct response to the expected increase in travel after two years of closure due to the pandemic. But that could mean a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating global warming
"The program stimulates avoidable air travel, which will most likely result in avoidable increases in carbon emissions," Sam Jackson, Ecology's director of climate impact and partnership, told Euronews Travel.
According to Jackson, 24 round trips a year are not ideal in the current climate emergency and added: "Even 6 flights a year (the program offers 6, 12 or 24) is too much for an individual who wants to reduce its impact on the planet to feel comfortable hiring. "
And US citizens are already among those with the highest carbon footprint in the world.
Air Alaska's new subscription service, while innovative in the aviation sector, contrasts with the current debate on the climate crisis and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions.
"Instead of suggesting these methods, which encourage more flights, we urgently need to discourage avoidable air travel as much as possible," says Jackson.
"We need to get people to think twice before taking extra flights when they don't need them, or providing low-carbon alternatives like trains or buses." And if low-carbon alternatives such as high-speed train are not available, particularly in areas where they can bear the costs of implementing the necessary infrastructure, we have to ask 'why not?'.
