107,622 of 125,000 signatures

To European governments, the European Commission and the European Parliament

Petition

We demand that EU member states individually and collectively:

Take action to prevent empty passenger flights;
Revise EU legislation to bring an end to these outdated airport slot usage rules;
Support national measures and European legislation that helps promote long-distance rail and phasing out short-haul flights where alternatives exist.

Why is this important?

Airlines are flying empty planes across Europe, with no people or goods in them. Over 100,000 ghost flights have flown over our heads this winter. All because of a law the European Commission won't let go of. [1]

In a moment when we are racing to cut emissions and save our planet, this outdated law is like a slap in the face.

Lufhansa, Air France, British Airways and other airlines are calling for a stop to this waste, and so are environmentalists. More and more people are learning about this absurd situation through the media.

The good news is that governments can rebel against this rule that fuels climate chaos. In fact, Austria has already boldly declared it will rebel. [2] Belgium, Germany and Spain have signalled they might follow suit.

Before more needless flights take off, we need to convince the governments in countries with the busiest airports to follow their example, and make courageous declarations about it. Now that the tide is turning, let’s make our governments hear their voters roar louder than an aeroplane engine.

References:

https://www.repubblica.it/green-and-blue/2022/02/01/news/voli_fantasma_emissioni_aerei_vuoti_slot-336031992/?ref=RHTP-BG-I294524205-P11-S1-T1
https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news/aviation-slot-relief-rules-airlines-extended-2021-12-15_en
https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-under-pressure-on-ghost-flights/
https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/01/06/almost-2-years-into-the-pandemic-empty-flights-are-still-frying-the-planet
https://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrichten/wirtschaft/oesterreich/2134961-Ausnahmeklausel-in-Oesterreich-ersparte-im-Winter-8.000-Leerfluege.html

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107,622

of 125,000 signatures

Recent comments

Lisa

WTF???

Graham

The world needs to cut carbon emissions.

Anna

Because of the pollution caused unnecessarily.

Debbie

Utterly ridiculous situation when our planet is desperately in need of change. Please stop this!

N

Eco anxiety is what we should all be feeling because "By 2030 carbon emissions are expected to rise by 16%, according to the UN, rather than fall by half, which is the cut needed to keep global heating under the internationally agreed limit of 1.5C." Apparently the weather we experience is from the impact of carbon emissions 30 years ago. So what we're reaping now is from big companies' emissions in the 1990s. EMISSIONS HAVE RISEN BY 60% SINCE THEN. Therefore, unless we act, in decades to come, all over the world, when the water levels rise, 98% of us (the poor) will live in overcrowded, diseased slums not only be fighting for wate and food but fighting violent weather and its impacts.

Sarah

In the face of the urgency with which the world needs to cut carbon emissions, this bureaucracy seems insane.

Steve

It's a no-brainer. The whole thing is simply mad.

JEAN

I just hate any sort of waste

P

This is so ridiculous. The planet is burning. Enough now.

Gillian

We have a fight to cut emissions and this totally unnecessary empty flying of aircraft must be stopped

Angela

I have children, and want them to live in a world without a needlessly degraded climate. Stupid rules that makes empty planes fly around are just evil.

Brian

Time to stop this madness

Terry

We need to do everything to stop damaging the environment. End these pointless polluting flights now.

Deborah

I don’t want our children to suffer because of climate change. We need to do everything we can in order to minimise more damage to our climate

dafydd

This is one of many environmental insanities but one of the easiest to eliminate.

Peter

We will never reach ANY climate target while we 'twiddle our thumbs' and do nothing.

Emma

This is a complete failure of regulation. Its so easy to fix it and prevent all this utterly needless waste.

Rosy

This is an utterly wasteful & absurd practice which flies in the face (pun Intended) of all our awareness of climate change

Kathryn

This is needless damage to the environment.

Lilian

The planet requires our assistance and the waste of fuel is a disgrace.

Tony

I am signing this petition because it is the right thing to do have planes flying European sky's with no people on them why not take a train or bus instead to save money & look after the earth's precious resources properly & wisely to benefit all of humanity living in the EU & the continent of Europe as a whole!

Nick

Because it's plainly ridiculous and shamefully to be flying empty planes. The perpetrators of this practice should be ashamed

Joseph

limiting carbon emissions also pollution also political madness

Julia

End flights! Let alone empty ones!

Evie

Because I don’t want to die

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Thousands of ghost flights fly above our heads. Transporting neither people nor goods but generating tonnes of polluting emissions.

We need to convince governments to rebel against the European rule that forces empty flights - but for that purpose we need to organise actions that cost money.

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