Be inspired | Flight Free UK

Filter posts All Climate Opinion Travel Testimonials

Learning to fly

What do school trips by air really teach us?

17 Mar 2022 4 minute read

Ghost flights petition: response

Here we analyse the Government's response to our petition to end ghost flights.

02 Mar 2022 6 minute read

2022 podcast series: Confessions of an eco hypocrite

Self-confessed climate hypocrite Sami Grover joins us to discuss if our actions really do make a difference.

01 Mar 2022 5 minute read

2022 podcast series: Don't Look Up

Inspired by the recent film Don't Look Up, we speak to filmmaker Franny Armstrong and climate scientist Peter Kalmus about how we can inspire climate action through fiction.

28 Feb 2022 4 minute read

George Monbiot: how to stop the planet burning

Journalist and environmental commentator George Monbiot speaks to us about being a disruptor.

10 Feb 2022 4 minute read

Island Life

Elaine Burton shares her experience of what it's like to live on a small island if you've chosen to be flight free for life.

20 Jan 2022 3 minute read

If I stop flying will it make any difference to climate change?

Stopping flying is one of the biggest things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. But does that actually make any difference to climate change? We explore the issues.

05 Jan 2022 4 minute read

2022 podcast series: Could you be flight free in 2022?

In the first episode of our new series, we hear from people from all over the UK and Ireland about why they're taking the flight free pledge.

05 Jan 2022 6 minute read

What's your New Year's resolution?

How about doing something that's as good for the planet as it is for you?

03 Jan 2022 2 minute read

2021 podcast series: reflections on 2021

The team reflects on a year of campaigning as we share our flight free stories.

13 Dec 2021 8 minute read

Gifts to inspire a flight free year

Stuck for what to buy this Christmas? Our ten gift ideas will inspire flight-free adventures in the new year for both you and your friends.

04 Dec 2021 4 minute read

What do we want from the COP?

With the climate change Conference of Parties starting this weekend in Glasgow, we ask what action is needed to tackle our rising emissions.

29 Oct 2021 4 minute read

The sad case of Stansted Airport

After a three year battle, Stansted Airport has finally had its expansion approved.

07 Oct 2021 2 minute read

Trains not planes: an open letter to the Minister for Future Transport

Recent claims by the Government that we need to keep flying in order to reduce emissions are misleading and dangerous

22 Sep 2021 5 minute read

2021 podcast series: Voluntourism

Three members of the No White Saviors team in Uganda explain to us the issues surrounding voluntourism.

19 Sep 2021 8 minute read

What's wrong with Jet Zero?

The government's Jet Zero consultation closes on 8th September. Here's our response.

07 Sep 2021 9 minute read

Out of Africa

Television producer and director John Mullen explores the impact of film making in countries that would usually involve a flight

26 Aug 2021 3 minute read

Campaigning through Covid

Flight Free UK director Anna looks back at the past year of ongoing Covid restrictions and how it affected the Flight Free 2021 campaign.

09 Aug 2021 3 minute read

2021 podcast series: Family and friends

Flying to see friends and family makes up a quarter of flights from the UK. We speak to three people with family overseas to explore some of the considerations.

14 Jun 2021 6 minute read

Results from the Flight Free 2020 survey

Flight Free UK explores the findings from the 2020 survey to see what inspired people to take the flight free pledge.

09 Jun 2021 6 minute read

Take the A Train: Flight Free Swing Dance

Dance scenes around the world involve a lot of flying. Teacher and swing dance enthusiast Alan Lorcan asks if there are more sustainable options.

19 May 2021 3 minute read

2021 podcast series: Activism

Sel from Grow Heathrow, Ian from GALBA and Alice from Sky Rebellion talk to us about their experiences as aviation activists.

10 May 2021 8 minute read

On being nice

It’s hard to talk to your friends about climate change. But it’s really important that we all try. Our top tip? Be nice!

03 May 2021 4 minute read

2021 podcast series: Behaviour change

Toni Vernelli from the Veganuary campaign shares her insights into how behaviour change works.

26 Apr 2021 5 minute read

Black Men Walk

Maxwell Ayamba, co-founder of 100 Black Men Walk, shares his philosophy of how health, community and nature are interconnected.

22 Apr 2021 5 minute read

Let's get down to business

The aviation industry is keen to emphasise the importance of flying for international business. But just how important is business flying? We talk to Cait Hewitt of the Aviation Environment Federation to find out.

14 Apr 2021 4 minute read

Slimming down our carbon footprint

Can we draw parallels between dieting and reducing carbon emissions? Maggie Robertson takes a look.

08 Mar 2021 4 minute read

The Lifeboat Station Project

Photographer Jack Lowe, on a mission to photograph each of the UK’s 238 lifeboat stations, shares with us his love for our fascinating coastline.

10 Feb 2021 4 minute read

"Sorry boss, I’ve given up flying."

When Eddie decided to stop flying, it had a knock-on effect at work. He shares how taking a stand can be awkward, but can also shift people’s perspectives.

25 Jan 2021 5 minute read

Putting climate back on the agenda

Can we re-discover the climate momentum that emerged in 2019?

22 Jan 2021 3 minute read

2021 podcast series: New Year's Resolutions

To ring in the New Year we talk to Lenny, Jo, Gope, Dominick and Lizzie about why they have made the Flight Free 2021 pledge.

19 Jan 2021 2 minute read

This is your pilot speaking: brace for the greatest emergency of our lives

The climate crisis is the greatest emergency facing humanity today. Ex-pilot Dan Tipney shares how this can be a difficult pill to swallow, but also why it's vital that we do.

07 Jan 2021 5 minute read

The kids are alright

Not flying is our gift to the children of the future. So why can’t they be more grateful? asks Maggie Robertson.

06 Jan 2021 4 minute read

Could you be flight free in 2021?

2020 was the year we stayed grounded because of the pandemic. Could 2021 be the year we stay grounded through choice?

30 Dec 2020 3 minute read

New Year's Resolutions

Could going flight free in 2021 be your New Year’s Resolution?

25 Dec 2020 2 minute read

Grow Heathrow

After spending a year living at the off-grid protest community of Grow Heathrow, Kirsty shares her experiences of activism and an unconventional way of life.

18 Dec 2020 4 minute read

Does the music industry have a flying problem?

When classical singer Nina Vinther boycotted her choir's overseas tour, it was relocated to the UK. She explores the difficulty in changing a culture.

18 Dec 2020 4 minute read

#FlightFree2020 podcast episode 12: reflections on 2020

Flight Free 2020 didn't work out at all the way we thought it would. Here, the whole team discusses what the year meant to them.

14 Dec 2020 10 minute read

Glad tidings of Flight Free

Use your Christmas cards to spread the flight free message!

01 Dec 2020 2 minute read

The demand myth

Maggie Robertson asks, is demand for flights rising? And what do we really demand when it comes to flying?

25 Nov 2020 2 minute read

How to keep your pledge

Tips on staying grounded for twelve months

28 Oct 2020 2 minute read

The inequality of aviation

Air travel is accessed by a tiny proportion of the global population – yet the negative effects are felt by us all.

11 Sep 2020 2 minute read

Two years of inaction

What can we as individuals do when the government doesn't act on the climate?

19 Aug 2020 2 minute read

#FlightFree2020 podcast episode 7: behaviour change

Awareness of climate change is rising, but our behaviour doesn't always reflect that. What can we do to change this? We speak to Steve Westlake from Cardiff University about the psychology of behaviour change.

28 Jul 2020 10 minute read

Health and climate

How should the response to the current health crises inform our thinking on climate and flights?

27 Jul 2020 2 minute read

Should a domestic flight ban be applied in the UK?

Tom Smallwood asks if the French bailout condition of Air France-KLM could be viable in the UK: that the airline does not compete with rail on journeys achievable in 2.5 hours by train.

07 Jul 2020 5 minute read

No more bites of the Big Apple

Anna Hughes asks, are we missing out by not travelling long haul?

23 Jun 2020 4 minute read

Individual action vs system change

Is it up to individuals to take action or will it take system change to solve the climate crisis?

04 Jun 2020 6 minute read

The Flight Free 2020 that wasn't

Flight Free UK Director Anna Hughes reflects on what effect the global pandemic has had on the campaign

01 Jun 2020 3 minute read

"Dejemos los pies sobre la tierra"

Rici Lake from Flight Free Perú explains the challenges and benefits of reducing aviation in a country that relies so heavily on tourism.

27 May 2020 5 minute read

The legacy of lockdown

An analysis of the impact of the coronavirus lockdown on people, planet and the future of the aviation industry.

29 Apr 2020 5 minute read

Six and a half flying ideas for the future

Flight free 2020 pledger Sophia Cheng attended the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris, and shares what she learned about a sustainable future for aviation.

23 Apr 2020 8 minute read

What should the government do?

The coronavirus outbreak has caused an unprecedented drop in demand for flights. What can the government do to ensure that climate targets are met once travel restrictions are lifted?

24 Mar 2020 3 minute read

In the name of love

A global society means ‘love miles’ are common. But to avoid the emissions, Claire Wordley took a drastic approach: quitting her job and moving countries to be with her man.

17 Mar 2020 6 minute read

Flight Free UK response to the Coronavirus

Flight Free UK comments on what the current Coronavirus outbreak means for our campaign and for aviation in general

13 Mar 2020 3 minute read

No to Airport Expansion

Emma Palmer spent 18 years living beneath the flight path at Bristol airport, and reflects on what the rejection of its expansion plan might mean for the climate and the future of aviation

05 Mar 2020 4 minute read

Tossing out the bucket list

Ellen Petry Leanse asks what impact our travel ambitions have on the places we visit and on the planet

03 Mar 2020 7 minute read

The Global Carbon Health Emergency

The Wuhan Coronavirus has brought air traffic across China to a standstill. It's time to now see the climate crisis for what it is: a global carbon epidemic.

07 Feb 2020 3 minute read

Can I really make a difference?

Cancelling one flight won’t save the planet. But what effect do our actions have, and can once person really make a difference?

27 Jan 2020 3 minute read

2020 podcast episode 1: New Year's Resolutions

The first episode of our new podcast series features an interview with Maja Rosén, whose New Year's Resolution two years ago to talk about flying and the climate crisis led to the creation of Flight Free campaigns around the world

06 Jan 2020 6 minute read

What about tourism?

We know that air travel facilitates global tourism, and if we were to stop flying, communities who rely on our visits would suffer. But is that really the full story?

14 Dec 2019 4 minute read

Podcast interview: Iain Green

Wildlife photographer Iain Green tells us what led to his decision to stop flying 14 years ago, and how he found the wildlife experience of his career in his own back garden.

10 Dec 2019 4 minute read

Farewell Loco2, hello Rail Europe

Jamie Andrews, co-founder of train booking website Loco2, shares the story of the company and looks forward to a low-carbon future

05 Nov 2019 5 minute read

Why I am flight free

Helena Ritter explains why she made the decision to quit flying

29 Oct 2019 2 minute read

Money Talks

We all know there are some eye-catchingly cheap air fares out there, but do the alternatives really cost that much more? And is there really any such thing as a cheap flight?

02 Oct 2019 2 minute read

Birmingham to Edinburgh: why would you fly?

Easyjet has announced that from March 2020 it will be flying twice a day from Birmingham to Edinburgh. Is there a place for short domestic routes in our transport infrastructure?

26 Sep 2019 2 minute read

Independent Influencers

Maggie Robertson explores how journalists have the power to influence people's travel decisions – and why they should use it wisely

14 Sep 2019 3 minute read

Heathrow Expansion Response

Flight Free UK responds to Heathrow expansion consultation.

13 Sep 2019 3 minute read

An open letter to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The team at Flight Free UK urges Harry and Meghan to consider the climate impact of their flights

27 Aug 2019 3 minute read

The Carbon Tax

A proposed carbon tax has hit the headlines this week. Anna Hughes looks at what this really means.

23 Jul 2019 3 minute read

Je m'engage...

Flight Free Canada director Nathalie Laplante explains her motivations to keep her and her fellow countrymen's feet firmly on the ground

10 Jun 2019 2 minute read

When climate responsibility breaks the heart

Claire Thompson's sons live half a world away, in New Zealand. In over a decade she has only seen them twice. This is her moving testimonial.

29 May 2019 4 minute read

Tips on talking about a socially awkward topic

It can be difficult to speak to your friends and family about not flying when it challenges people’s thoughts and behaviours. Here are some tips that might help engage those around you.

31 Jan 2019 2 minute read

My no-fly year

In June 2017, Viviana Jiménez took a year off flying. With family scattered across a few countries, it would mean not seeing them for more than a year. But she took on the challenge – with surprising results.

28 Jan 2019 6 minute read

The fear of missing out

Flight Free Director Anna Hughes explains the importance of living to our values

22 Jan 2019 2 minute read

Does flying really benefit us?

Flight Free UK Director Anna Hughes takes a look at whether our flying habits really are beneficial to us or the world.

10 Jan 2019 3 minute read

Take the flight free pledge today!