The impact of demographic factors on Flight shame. Research on a new phenomenon

Abstract

This study aims to gain new insights into the phenomenon of flight shame (‘flygskam’), a new phenomenon spreading among air passengers who are more aware of the climate consequences of their flying behaviour. In particular, the research shows new insights into demographic characteristics, with special attention to age. After revising the still scarce literature on the topic, an online questionnaire was implemented. The final sample consists of 228 individuals. The analytical framework was based on descriptive statistics and cluster analysis (k-means). The results showed that older individuals experienced more flight shame than younger ones. In addition, these respondents with higher awareness had a higher level of education and were more environmentally active. Income and gender were found not statistically significant, explaining awareness differences. The final finding was the correlation between green individuals and seeking alternatives. This study contributes to understanding flight shame by providing a new perspective on individual characteristics.