Travellers are beginning to turn their backs on air travel over concern for the environment, according to a survey by Swiss bank UBS.
The Swedish concept of “flygskam” or “flight shame” appears to be spreading.
One in five of the people surveyed had cut the number of flights they took over the last year because of the impact on the climate.
UBS said the expected growth in passenger numbers could be halved if these trends were borne out.
Global air travel has grown by between 4% and 5% a year, UBS said, meaning the overall numbers are doubling every 15 years.
Industry forecasts from plane makers Airbus and Boeing predict growth will continue at that rate until 2035.
But the UBS survey suggests that high-profile campaigns – like the example set by Swedish school girl Greta Thunberg, which has helped push the climate crisis up the political agenda – could trigger a change in flying habits in wealthier parts of the world, particularly in the US and Europe.
After surveying more than 6,000 people in the US, Germany, France and the UK, UBS found that 21% had reduced the number of flights they took over the last year.
Read more: BBC