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Airline pilots have launched a campaign to challenge the perception that air travel is the major force behind rising carbon emissions.

The British Air Line Pilots' Association (Balpa) has presented a report to the UK government which highlights the 'half truths and untruths' told about the aviation industry.

Balpa points to the claim that aircraft are more polluting than trains and says that this is only true on short rail journeys.

The association claims that long-distance journeys over 800km and new high speed trains are more polluting than aircraft per passenger per kilometre.

'We were determined at the outset to concern ourselves only with the facts, and what is clear is that aviation has become a scapegoat for global warming,' said Mervyn Granshaw, chairman of Balpa.

'Balpa accepts the world has a problem, we do not number ourselves among the sceptics.

'Something certainly has to be done about the rising level of carbon dioxide emissions and we will play our part. But we cannot accept the false accusations our study exposes,' he added.

Mr Granshaw went on to say that he wants passengers to stop feeling guilty about travelling by plane and this report is designed to do just that.

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