Unpack your bags!

AS expat wives and children in Bahrain prepare to swap the Middle East heat for less hostile climates as part of the annual summer holiday exodus campaigning environmentalists are urging them to stay put.

It follows news that the aviation industry has announced record increases in the number of flights worldwide just days after the world’s scientists warned there may be just eight years to act on greenhouse gas pollution to avoid the worst of global warming.
And it’s not only a case of people leaving the kingdom – Bahrain attracts more than 500,000 visitors every month, according to the Information Ministry’s Tourism Affairs.
“The ministry has spared no effort to promote Bahrain as an affordable tourism destination,” he said.
“We will continue to participate in international and regional exhibitions that attract important buyers from around the world.
“Regional and international airlines are also increasing their flights to Manama, which will help increase visitor numbers.”
Bahrain has been promoted as the ‘Island of Pleasure’ at recent travel and tourism events. “We are confident of attracting tourists in search of a relaxed and rejuvenating holiday,” the spokesman added.
Booming demand for domestic flights in China has also helped nudge the number of global take-offs scheduled for this month alone to more than 2.5 million for the first time. A surge in the popularity of low-cost airlines means more than 114,000 more flights are expected than during the same period last year – a five per cent rise.
Announcing the figures for May, Duncan Alexander, managing director of aviation analyst firm OAG, said: “From an industry perspective this healthy growth bodes very well for the future.”
Climate experts and environmental campaigners were less pleased.
Kevin Anderson, a global warming university researcher, said the expansion was at odds with efforts to tackle emissions: “While this might be good news for the aviation industry and its shareholders, it is bad news for the climate and ultimately it’s our children that will pay the price.”
Peter Lockley, of the Aviation Environment Federation campaign group, said: “Even the most optimistic industry estimates have fuel efficiency only increasing by 1-2 per cent each year. So if the number of flights goes up five per cent a year, it’s not very difficult maths to see their carbon emissions are going to rise, just as the scientists say they need to be reduced.”
OAG’s May figures are taken from its Quarterly Airline Traffic Statistics, based on data from 1,000 scheduled airlines. They show that 2.51 million flights are timetabled worldwide this month, topping the previous high of 2.49 million from August last year. That represents an additional 113,827 flights compared with May 2006, or 17.7 million extra seats.
Mr Alexander said: “This is great news from a travellers’ viewpoint, with much more competition and choice.”
The largest year-on-year rise is within China, with nearly 23,000 more domestic flights scheduled this month than in May 2006, a rise of 18 per cent.
US domestic flights have risen by some 19,000, though that represents just a two per cent rise, to 838,000. Demand also soared within India, up 10,000 flights, or 25 per cent, to 43,000 flights.
The figures show that the UK is now the most popular country for international flights, with 121,000 scheduled arrivals and departures this month, up seven per cent.
Spain showed the single largest rise, up nearly 10,000 flights, or 16 per cent. Overall, the low-cost sector showed a rise of some 70,000 flights, up 22 per cent year-on-year.
The report comes as Mark Ellingham, founder of the Rough Guide series, has called for stringent new taxes on flights to deter travellers and reduce environmental damage. He wants a green tax on all flights, as well as a moratorium on airport expansion.
He said there was no such thing as an ethical holiday.
“The tobacco industry fouled up the world while denying it as much as possible for as long as they could.
“If the travel industry rosily goes ahead as it is doing, ignoring the effect that carbon emissions from flying are having on climate change, we are putting ourselves in a very similar position to the tobacco industry.”

By david adam