Flights are grounded - is this the moment we give up our addiction to flying? | Nicole Badstuber

If the government ends up with a stake in the airline industry, it should steer transport policy towards a lower air-travel futureCoronavirus - latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coveragePassenger air travel has come to a virtual standstill. EasyJet has grounded its entire fleet, and Ryanair has announced it will not resume commercial flights before June. British Airways has elected to suspend 36,000 staff and has closed its operations at Gatwick and London City airports until further notice. Overall, passenger flights have decreased by up to 95%. With job losses for airline and airport staff likely to reach hundreds of thousands, the government's priority is, unsurprisingly, securing workers' income and keeping strategic routes open.But if government intervenes and looks to buy a stake in airlines, this could be a turning point in transport policy, as the pandemic allows us to pivot to a lower air-travel future. We are already being forced to rethink how we move around, conduct business, keep up family ties and maintain friendships in a globalised world without aviation - a dire necessity, given the urgency of the climate emergency. Continue reading...