Belgian Minister of Mobility wants to ban short-haul flights within Belgium

The Belgian Minister of Mobility, Georges Gilkinet, is proposing a ban on short-haul flights that take off and land within Belgium. Although the impact on CO2 emissions would be limited, Gilkinet wants to address what he calls an “ecological absurdity.”

Last year, there were 1,800 short-haul flights within Belgium, with the Liège-Brussels route being the busiest. These flights are primarily operated by private jets, cargo planes, or commercial flights making stopovers to refuel. Research shows that short-haul flights are the most CO2-intensive, emitting more per kilometre than longer flights due to the high energy required for takeoff. Private jets are particularly polluting, emitting five to fourteen times more CO2 per passenger than commercial flights and fifty times more than trains.

Gilkinet argues that the Belgian cities served by these short-haul flights are already well-connected by rail and road, making the flights unnecessary. He has prepared a royal decree to ban such flights, with exceptions for emergencies, “assignments of general interest,” helicopters, and lighter aircraft. Gilkinet sees short-haul flights as irresponsible behaviour and believes the ban is an easy intervention that few people and companies would be harmed by, as they have alternatives.

The ban aligns with European climate objectives, which aim to reduce transport-related CO2 emissions by 62 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. However, without policy changes, emissions from the aviation sector are projected to double or triple in the coming years. Gilkinet hopes that a ban on short-haul flights within Belgium can become an international standard.

While the ban’s impact on CO2 emissions would be limited, there are reasons to pursue it as a first step. France implemented a similar ban (although with many exceptions) two years ago on routes with train connections of less than 2.5 hours, resulting in a 0.8 percent reduction in French aviation emissions. However, the proposal faces hurdles, including consultations with the regions and agreement within the federal government. The Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters, expresses caution, noting potential negative economic impacts on the aviation sector and regional airports in Flanders.

Comment: Gilkinet obviously didn’t understand that most of the flights he wants to ban are positioning flights. If Standard charters a plane from Liège to Leipzig, but this plane is based in Brussels, does it take the train to go from Zaventem to Bierset?