As more airlines push to go green, the true cost of net zero will be felt with rising airfares.

Australia’s parliament has been cautioned by the Australian Airports Association (AAA) that international airlines may reduce flights to the country in the future due to long-haul routes being viewed as an easy target for meeting environmental commitments.

“As Australia is at the edges of the global air network with long distances from Australian airports to major regional and global hubs in Asia, North America and the Middle East, it is essential to ensure Australia remains a viable destination for international migration, tourism and business travel,” the AAA’s submission said.

As global aviation emissions reduction schemes are still being negotiated, Australia risks being excluded from the international aviation network as carbon pricing and binding targets take effect in the next decade.

This reduction in flights to the southern hemisphere could limit Australians’ travel options and lead to higher costs for connecting to other continents.

To avoid isolation, the AAA urged the government to support the local sustainable aviation fuel industry to refuel aircraft on their return leg.

It is crucial for Australia to actively participate in discussions on global agreements to address this concern, while domestic aviation targets are managed separately from international flights.

“Failure to negotiate an effective and equitable deal for Australia may mean a contraction in Australia’s connectivity to the world,” the AAA said.