The consistent rise in aeroplane traffic over the last few decades has been attributed in large part to the phenomenon of mass tourism. The debate continues on the impact this has on the environment and the possible solutions.
It is indisputable that urban populations in the vicinity of busy airports experience high levels of pollution on account of the ever-increasing number of tourist flights. One specific effect is the unpleasant smell of kerosene – aeroplane fuel – hanging in the air. This is typically accompanied by high levels of noise pollution, as a seemingly endless succession of aeroplanes take off and land. Perhaps most worryingly, an increase in the incidence of respiratory diseases among residents from many districts blighted by airport-related air pollution has also been observed.
Despite the scale of environmental problems brought about by air passenger traffic, a range of effective solutions exist. It is clear that the law can be used as a means of arresting the increase in tourist traffic. For example, governments could impose upper limits on the quantity of flights – tourist or otherwise – that depart from or arrive at airports such as Heathrow, which are already operating close to maximum capacity. Additionally, regulatory measures could be introduced with a view to redistributing air traffic from busy airports to quieter ones, as well as instituting strict limits on the numbers of both night-time flights and aeroplanes that fly along routes above areas of particularly high population density.
Proposals such as those outlined in the previous paragraph can reasonably be expected to bring down noise and chemical pollution levels in some of the worst-affected urban areas.
In conclusion, while the huge numbers of tourist and other flights continue to pose challenges to environmental quality in areas beneath flightpaths, creative solutions which mitigate their impact can be productively explored