Would-be holidaymakers who find themselves on the wrong end of flight cancellations can cash in the saved carbon via a new holiday scheme.
This summer many people are highly likely to find themselves stuck at an airport terminal, frustrated and with no plane to get on.
Already airlines such as easyJet and British Airways have cancelled thousands of flights this summer due to staffing pressures, and many more are to follow.
Now a Cotswolds hotel and launched a new package to try and tempt disappointed holidaymakers in.
Stroud’s Stonehouse Court Hotel has a ‘carbon saving cancellation’ package, where it looks to offer discounted stays for those faced with cancelled flights.
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Guests can swap their lost airmiles for ‘carbon credits’ at the hotel, depending on how much carbon their cancelled flight would save.
The hotel says it is "targeting travellers who, having booked time off work for a holiday, have been unable to fulfil their plans thanks to travel disruption" by "offering 32% discounted last minute stays for those who’ve been faced with the headache of a cancelled flight".
Maz Jurko, the hotel's general manager, said: “There’s only one thing worse than being at an airport and all set to travel when the dreaded ‘flight delayed’ message appears on the departures board – and that’s the ‘flight cancelled’ message.
"Sadly, so many travellers have already faced this very scenario over the summer, with seemingly many more to come..
“Here at Stonehouse Court, we’re an environmentally focused hotel and are always keen to do our bit.
"By not flying, guests are making considerable savings in carbon emissions, which, whilst not making up for the disappointment of a missed holiday, is de facto contributing to the fight against climate change – and something we wanted to recognise.”
One major downside of jetting off abroad is that it's bad for the environment.
A flight from Bristol - the hotel’s nearest airport - to Madrid produces the equivalent of 0.39 tonnes of Co2 per person, as much as 32% of a person’s annual global ‘allowance’ of carbon emissions.
Consequently, Stonehouse Court is offering 32% off last-minute midweek bookings for those with recently cancelled flights.
With the carbon compensation cost of an economy flight to Spain, being £7.15 per person, hotel guests have that to spend in the restaurant/bar on top of their discounted rate.
While individuals who’ve missed out on a flight the equivalent of Bristol to New York could benefit from £31.72 carbon credit, reflecting the difference in distance and therefore the carbon saved.
Maz continued: “And whilst we wanted to offer a discounted rate to help make a last minute alternative holiday more palatable, we also wanted to add an extra element to highlight the carbon savings – and hit upon the idea of carbon credits as an added incentive.
To calculate the carbon impact, Stonehouse Court used C Level’s flight carbon calculator, which uses Defra carbon factors and methodology to calculate various carbon impacts.
For more information about the hotel, click here.
