News item | 14-12-2023 | 13:29
A majority of Dutch people are positive about aviation, but that number is decreasing. In addition, there are still more supporters of shrinkage than of growth. This is evident from the research into support for aviation, which the ministry carries out every year.
Since 2018, an annual survey has been conducted to find out what Dutch people think about aviation. Last year, two-thirds of Dutch people were positive about aviation, compared to 71 percent a year earlier. This percentage has been decreasing since measurements started in 2018.
Support for shrinkage has been increasing for a number of years, although it was slightly less in 2023 (47 percent) than in 2022 (52 percent). It is well more than the support for growth (17 percent), or the number of people who think the current number of flights to and from the Netherlands is good (29 percent).
The vast majority of Dutch people, almost eight in ten, are positive about making aviation more sustainable, making aircraft less polluting. The use of cleaner fuels also enjoys broad support among the population
Measures that make flying more expensive may meet with less enthusiasm. More than four in ten Dutch people think it is a good idea to fully compensate for the climate damage caused by flights through higher ticket prices. There is even less support for a higher flight tax on a second flight within a year (38 percent), or a higher flight tax for long distances than for short flights (29 percent).
Shame about flying does not seem to play a significant role among Dutch people. Only one in ten respondents indicated that they felt guilty or ashamed about flying.
More information?
Contact Richard Funnekotter (I&W spokesperson): 06 8398 5530