Flybe emphatically denies and rejects calls by the IPPR to introduce "cigarette-style advertising health warnings" on aviation's environmental effects.

On April 5, Flybe announced that it will take the industry lead by launching an innovative labelling scheme in May that will provide consumers with detailed environmental information about their air journey.

Mike Rutter, Chief Commercial Officer of Flybe comments: "IPPR is another London-centric think tank looking down the wrong end of the telescope. Airlines account for less than 1.6% of global greenhouse gases, UK aviation accounts for 0.1% of global emissions. We suggest the IPPR concentrate on power generation, car and sea transport, and many other categories before it seeks to attach gesture politics to aviation."

Flybe accepts the need to create a sustainable aviation future and confirms that it will launch a major environmental labelling scheme in May to provide consumers with information about aircraft performance therefore allowing them to be informed about those airlines like Flybe who have invested heavily in best of class technology which delivers lower impact on local and global environments.

Flybe is further concerned that the debate about the environment is being driven by London-centric think tanks and politicians who have forgotten that outside of London there are few alternatives to air travel if we wish to have a buoyant regional economy. The IPPR is the latest in a long line of groups to fall into this London-centric trap.