The UK government has announced a cut to domestic air passenger duty just days before the start of COP26, where its ministers will spend two weeks persuading other countries to cut their carbon emissions.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the move as part of his Budget speech, outlining an increase to air passenger duty for long-haul flights, but a cut to the tax on some UK domestic flights.
The government has said the move will boost local airports and “bring people together across the UK”, but the irony wasn’t lost on Twitter users, who were perplexed by the announcement with just days until the global climate conference begins.
The cut will see the flat-rate tax on departures between Northern Ireland and England, Wales or Scotland reduced by around £26. Some travel to the Scottish Highlands and Islands will also be reduced.
For business travellers, the fare between Northern Ireland and the other UK countries will fall by around £52.
Environmental campaigners have long raised concerns over the low cost of domestic flights when compared to train travel, pushing some people to take carbon-intensive flights around the UK rather than travel by train.