GB: Heathrow CEO feels the wealthy should pay for greener air travel - Do flyers share his view?

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, mentioned that, “wealthy people...and wealthy nations should be funding the energy transition in aviation to help support developing countries.” According to Holland-Kaye, hiking fares for the wealthiest can help pay “the premium for sustainable aviation fuels.”

Do consumers flying in pricier first and business class seats mind paying for products and services that are more environmentally friendly?

According to YouGov Profiles - which covers demographic, psychographic, attitudinal and behavioral consumer metrics - most (72%) of consumers who have booked first or business class in the past 12 months agree with the statement that they “don’t mind paying more for products that are good for the environment.”

But while they may be okay with paying for greener products, they aren’t necessarily conscious of their carbon footprints. More than half (51%) of consumers who have booked first or business class tickets in the past 12 months agree with the statement that they “don’t care what (their) carbon footprint is.” A comparatively smaller group - 21% - of the general Great Britain (GB) population agrees with the statement.

Price continues to be a factor, as 70% of consumers who have flown first or business class in the past 12 months agree that “(they) don’t care if it is “green” energy, as long as it is cheap.” However, green energy is considered to be the future by 68% of the general population and 75% of those that have booked first or business class tickets in the past 12 months.

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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for GB is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.  

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash