Lufthansa CEO sees no 'Greta Effect' on passenger numbers

Lufthansa expects passenger numbers to rise about 4% this year, its CE told a newspaper, playing down talk that public support for teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg might be curbing air travel. “At this time we don’t see restraint - in fact, the opposite,” Carsten Spohr said in the interview published on Sunday. “In comparison to last year, already a record year, we’re expecting passenger growth of about 4%, (Lufthansa unit) Swiss International Air Lines is also showing growth. The discussion of climate change is not leading to restraint with bookings. People want to fly.” Media reports have suggested a “Greta effect” might curb demand for air travel, referring to the 16-year-old who has gained global attention for her efforts to convince people to reduce carbon-emitting activities. On Saturday, a group of about 80 protesters staged a “Flight Strike” at Zurich Airport near the facilities of Swiss International Air Lines, singing songs, handing out leaflets, and encouraging people to pledge not to fly in 2020. There were no arrests, and the demonstration dispersed without police intervention. Spohr cited figures from the International Energy Agency showing air travel produces 2.8% of human-caused carbon dioxide. He is frustrated that airlines are on the defensive over their contribution to climate-changing emissions. “We haven’t succeeded in explaining that air travel influences the world positively: We connect countries, economies and societies together,” Spohr, a trained pilot, told the newspaper. “Moreover, for years we’ve been able to reduce our per-passenger CO2 emissions.”<br/>