The Premier League’s short-haul flights crisis

Premier League clubs are taking short-haul flights to and from games despite flying being up to 30 times worse for the environment than going by coach.

An investigation by the Daily Mirror found that just a matter of weeks after Green Football Weekend, an initiative designed to help tackle climate change, Liverpool took a 33-minute flight back from Newcastle rather than a three-hour coach journey. 

The paper cited research from the University of Leeds, which found that Liverpool’s coach trip would have produced up to 135kgCO2e, compared to well over 3,000kgCO2e for the plane.

“Taking a coach would have been at least 25 times better for the climate compared with chartering the plane,” Dr Sally Cairns, from the university’s transport institute, said. “Prioritising climate change in decision making is critical if we are to meet climate targets. Sports stars, politicians and other celebrities have a key leadership role to play.”

‘World full of marginal gains’

Domestic flights “are commonplace in the Premier League, with player welfare considerations often trumping the financial cost and environmental impact”, said the Mirror. Packed fixture schedules mean clubs “sometimes feel like they are left with little choice but to fly back from far-off away games”, added the paper.

Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp argued that the Premier League’s decision to schedule a 5.30pm kick-off for their game away to Newcastle left them with no other option than to fly.

“In a world full of marginal gains, Liverpool simply could not risk arriving back to Merseyside late on Saturday evening as preparations for Real Madrid would be key,” said the Daily Express.

“Convenience is a significant factor, as is the pursuit of the best sporting conditions for elite players,” said the BBC. “A short plane journey is regarded as better for a footballer’s physical condition than a longer coach journey,” the broadcaster added. 

It’s not just Liverpool. Nottingham Forest were also criticised recently for taking a 20-minute flight to Blackpool. “Whether it is right or wrong, I think it is pretty normal for a team, in the Premier League particularly, and for a lot of Championship teams, to fly distances like that,” manager Steve Cooper told reporters.

Article source: https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/sport/football/960016/the-premier-leagues-short-haul-flights-crisis