If you want to travel within the country of Spain and it’s less than two-and-a-half hours from point to point, it might have to be done via the rails.
The Spanish Government has proposed banning domestic short-haul flights if you can travel between two points in two-and-a-half hours or less by train or car.
It’s all part of an environmental plan to reduce the carbon footprint.
It is not known yet how many flights will be impacted, but it will surely be protested by some internal airlines that make money flying between two cities in Spain. There are provisions, however, such as flying to a larger airport to get a connecting flight.
Spain is following the lead of France. The French government last year banned domestic short-haul flights if you can make the journey within two-and-a-half hours by train. Spain’s coalition government had originally proposed a four-hour window, which was negotiated down. The original proposal would have cut 11 domestic flights that could be replaced by rail service.
The new ban will affect fewer flights but even that is being fought within Spain by political sides. One political leader, Guillermo Mariscal, said the initiative is “ineffective” because it would only result in a 0.06 percent reduction in emissions.
The impact on the airline industry in Spain would be far greater for that little amount.
The ban will need to go through several more stages of amendments before it can be approved.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
