French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
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Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#2Maybe they should ask themselves _why_ someone would take a flight instead of a 2.5 hour train ride?
There's really no reason a human would try to fly instead of take a train, if the trains were functioning at high efficiency. Flying sucks. And yet...
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#3Is this also an attempt to shore up the train system finances, and reduce the money it’s hemorrhaging?
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#4There is no reason to fly short distance if you want to go from city center to city center. However, if you're already arriving or leaving on a long distance flight, the whole overhead of getting to/from/through the airport disappears and those 1.5 hours start making a difference.
I think forcing companies to advertise more honest flight durations and prices could make a huge difference. If the airline tells you that you need to be at the airport 90 minutes before the flight, add it to the flight time. Require airlines to prominently show total time and cost from city center to city center with luggage.
If you're comparing a 59 EUR, 2.5 hour train ticket with a 29 EUR, 1 hour flight, the choice seems obvious, even though the flight will likely cost you more time and money in the end.
UX matters, and I believe this would be a very powerful nudge. I bet many people would take the train if the flight had to be advertised as "typically 3.5 hours, 82 EUR from city center to city center (fine print: 29 EUR flight, 29 EUR baggage fee unless you fly with hand baggage only, 12 EUR ticket to the airport, 12 EUR ticket from the airport at the destination; 1 hour flight duration, 45 minutes for getting from airport entrance to the gate, 20 minutes boarding, 30 minutes to get to the airport with an average 7 minute wait, 10 min to get out of the airport, 30 minutes to get from the airport with an average 8 minute wait)"
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#5Is short domestic flights in France that much of a carbon producers? I mean is the measure just a fig leaf or is it a real step in the right direction?
Checking French sources, the only lines are apparently between Paris and Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux.
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#6Maybe they should ask themselves _why_ someone would take a flight instead of a 2.5 hour train ride? There's really no reason a human would try to fly instead of take a train, if the trains were functioning at high efficiency. Flying sucks. And yet...
all the domestic flights in questions have also high-speed train alternatives
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#7Maybe they should ask themselves _why_ someone would take a flight instead of a 2.5 hour train ride? There's really no reason a human would try to fly instead of take a train, if the trains were functioning at high efficiency. Flying sucks. And yet...
Because light rail/bus to airport is cheap, and $25 fares are cheap. And the trains are expensive.
Now, why is flying so cheap vs a train? The whole the US government essentially gives away 737s at a loss to employ people might be one part of it? Nobody is giving away free trains that I know of.
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#8Is short domestic flights in France that much of a carbon producers? I mean is the measure just a fig leaf or is it a real step in the right direction? Checking French sources, the only lines are apparently between Paris and Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux.
A large proportion of the carbon emissions from flights come from takeoff (you have to haul the plane, full of fuel, up through the gravitational potential)
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#9Maybe they should ask themselves _why_ someone would take a flight instead of a 2.5 hour train ride? There's really no reason a human would try to fly instead of take a train, if the trains were functioning at high efficiency. Flying sucks. And yet...
And yet, the train could be more expensive
Re: French lawmakers approve a ban on short domestic flights
#10Maybe they should ask themselves _why_ someone would take a flight instead of a 2.5 hour train ride? There's really no reason a human would try to fly instead of take a train, if the trains were functioning at high efficiency. Flying sucks. And yet...
France has one of the best and fastest train systems in the world. There's really no reason for people to fly, but they still do.