LONDON (AP) -- Greenpeace is offering passengers booked on a new domestic British Airways flight a free train ticket instead, the environmental pressure group's British branch said Saturday.

The return tickets are being offered in response to British Airways' new service between London's Gatwick airport and the town of Newquay, on the picturesque southwest coast.

"It's outrageous that B.A. is putting on a new domestic route when scientists are forming a consensus about climate change -- and especially when there is an easy, affordable and relatively quick train route between London and Newquay," a Greenpeace spokesman said on condition of anonymity, in line with the organization's policy.

The offer, which is to be advertised in newspapers on Monday, is for passengers booked on Tuesday's inaugural flight, Greenpeace said.

The train trip between London's Paddington station and the Cornwall town is about five hours. According to the National Rail Web site, the lowest-priced one-way ticket for that date is 29.50 pounds (US$57; euro43).

British Airways' flight between Gatwick and Newquay is for people who want to travel the 250 miles (400 kilometers) in an hour, the airline said in a statement. It said that, "as an airline, we have made enormous efforts to address our impact on climate change," pointing to improved fuel efficiency and participation in emissions trading programs.

According to British Airways' Web site, a one-way flight to Newquay on Tuesday costs 45 pounds (US$87; euro66.)

Last week, Prime Minister Tony Blair's government unveiled a draft bill with an aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 60 percent reductions by 2050.

And last weekend, the opposition Conservative party said it was considering proposing new taxes on air travel as a way to fight global warming. The party said the goal would be to slow the growth of air travel and thereby reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted by airlines using Britain's airports. The idea was criticized by airlines.