Environmental crusader Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who has been vocal about combating climate change, may have played a role in a recent 4 percent drop in the number of commercial passengers flying in Sweden, where the term “flygskam,” or flight shame, has gained popularity. Some U.S. airline executives are now expressing concern that the same guilt could take hold in the U.S., prompting American travelers to think twice before buying an airline ticket. Robin Hayes, chief executive of New York-based JetBlue Airways, told industry analysts during a conference call recently that it’s only a matter of time before Americans follow the lead of their Swedish counterparts to find more environmentally friendly alternatives to commercial air travel. “This issue presents a clear and present danger, if we don’t get on top of it,” he said. “We’ve seen that in other geographies and we should not assume that those sentiments won’t come to the U.S.” Although flight shame hasn’t caught on as strongly in the U.S. as in Europe, airline industry experts say carriers are amplifying their efforts to cut emissions to help ease the concerns of flyers, especially young travelers who are more likely to change their travel plans based on environmental issues. To view the full article visit the Columbian.
