Sweden has seen a 4% drop in the number of people flying via its airports, a rare decrease in recent years for a European country. More than 40 million people traveled through the country’s 10 airports, compared with 42 million during 2018. Domestic travel was down further, at 9%, according to Sweden’s airport operators, Swedavia.
The figures come as the Swedish-born movement of “flight shaming” is gaining prominence. Swedavia spokesman Robert Pletzin said there were a number of reasons for the decrease, citing Swedish aviation tax, softening economy worries, the weak Swedish crown, and the climate debate. Flygskam or “flight shame” originated in Sweden in 2017, when Swedish singer Staffan Lingberg pledged to give up flying.