British Airways now carbon offsetting all domestic flights

With the start of 2020, British Airways has begun its carbon offset initiative. As of the beginning of the year, all domestic flights operated by the airline are now carbon neutral.

The change is part of the airline's larger goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Many airlines — including British Airways — already offer customers the option to pay a small additional fee to offset the carbon impact of their flight during the booking process, though this is optional. British Airways will instead bear the cost of this for domestic flights at no additional cost to the passenger, including no rise in domestic airfares. The carbon reduction programs chosen by the airline include renewable energy, protection of rainforests and reforestation programs.

Related: Everything you need to know about carbon offsetting for your flights

BA operates up to 75 daily domestic flights from various London hubs to 10 UK cities including: Aberdeen (ABZ), Belfast City (BFS), Edinburgh (EDI), Glasgow (GLA), Isle of Man (IOM), Inverness (INV), Jersey (JER), Leeds (LBA), Manchester (MAN) and Newcastle (NCL).

With the new policy in effect, passengers flying internationally will continue to have the option to pay for their own carbon offsetting. The airline will continue to utilize its carbon offsetting tool, allowing passengers to calculate their emissions. According to a press release, BA said that passengers can expect to pay around $1.32 to offset a return flight between London and Madrid in economy. A flight between New York and London in business class will cost around $20.

"Solving the complex issue of climate change requires a multifaceted response, and offsetting emissions on all flights within the UK is just one step that we are adopting to reduce our environmental impact while more solutions to decarbonise are found", Alex Cruz, chairman and CEO of British Airways, said of the initiative.

Other European airlines have already begun similar carbon offset programs. Air France will also begin offsetting domestic flights this year, and low-cost giant EasyJet now offsets all flights, becoming the first major airline to do so.

Related: Why you might want to tour Europe by train, not plane

British Airways continues to invest in more fuel-efficient aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 families, while retiring aircraft like the Boeing 747, which burn through more fuel.