Fliers ready to pay more tax for less carbon

LONDON, Mar 13 (Reuters) Nearly 80 per cent of travellers in Britain are prepared to pay double the amount of the new flight tax if the money goes on tackling carbon emissions, according to a travel group.

For 2,400 UK holidaymakers surveyed for lastminute.com, environmental impact is now the second-highest consideration when selecting a travel destination -- more important than television reviews and friends' recommendations.

The survey showed that although an overwhelming 94 per cent of travellers disagree with the proposed government flight tax, 78 percent them would be prepared to pay twice as much for the new tax if the money went to carbon offsetting.

''Whether it is Al Gore's (film) Inconvenient Truth or the recent UN report, the UK public are now demanding that the environment takes on greater importance in all aspects of their lives,'' said John Bevan, travel director of lastminute.com.

''The current tax is a blunt instrument and not ring-fenced to go towards environmental causes. It especially is not targeted at the environmental impact by those who still fly.'' Chancellor Gordon Brown doubled the Air Passenger Duty (APD) airport departure tax last month, meaning passengers now have to pay 10 pounds for economy class flights to Europe; 20 pounds for business and first; 40 pounds for long-haul economy and 80 pounds for long haul business and first.

The survey also showed that 82 per cent of travellers, thought trains too expensive and complicated to book.

REUTERS SB BST0937