A BISHOP has been accused of double standards after organising a 30-person trip to Turkey — a week after saying that flying was ‘damaging God's planet’.

The Rt Rev Nicholas Reade described airliners as the ‘most polluting form of travel the world has ever known’.

He called for people to cut ‘indiscriminate’ use of planes, such as for long haul holidays.

But now it has emerged the Bishop of Blackburn, the Church of England leader for East Lancashire, is arranging the nine-day trip to Turkey visiting the sites of seven historic churches.

He asked vicars to appeal to their congregations for people interested in the May 2011 trip. So far 30 have signed up.

Flying from Manchester to Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight the travellers will go to the ruins of early Christian communities including Ephesus, Miletus and Loadicea.

And the Bishop has already made the journey to research the trip.

The Rt Rev Reade has defended the trip, which he is personally leading, saying it would be a vital spiritual and learning experience for his congregation.

But Michelle Di Leo, director of pro-aviation campaign FlyingMatters said: "Clearly for the bishop it is one rule for him and one for the rest of us.

“He can try to justify this trip, yet he does not think it is appropriate for people to travel across the globe for holidays or to see their families.

“To preach to others while he enjoys the benefits himself is unacceptable.”

Mr Di Leo said that under the Bishop's own criteria it seemed hard to justify taking so many people on the trip.

Blackburn businesswoman Margo Grimshaw said: "It sounds like another case of 'do as I say, not as I do'."

Brian Jackson, of East Lancashire Friends of the Earth, said: "He is right to suggest people should cut down on unnecessary flying, but one should practice what one preaches.

"He shouldn't fly to Turkey. You can get a very fast train through France or Spain."

The visit will follow a journey completed by St Paul in what was Asia Minor, taking in the Seven Churches of Revelation.

Environmental charity WWF, which is campaigning for UK businesses to cut out one in five flights within five years, urged the Bishop to consider alternatives which cut the need for flying.

Lucy Bertenshaw, campaign manager for transport at environmental charity WWF, said: “We are working with businesses to help cut unnecessary flying, adopting conferencing technologies, such as audio, web and video, where possible, or choosing lower carbon travel.

“We would hope the Bishop reduces the need to travel and uses audio, web or videoconferencing where possible.”

Last week the Bishop said families should think 'long and hard' about the consequences of jetting off for holidays abroad.

He said people should have an annual allocation of air miles, limiting their travel, with levels bar-coded onto passports.

Defending the Turkey trip, he said: "The New Testament is quite rightly the handbook for our faith and to visit the places that actions happened or visit the communities where letters were written always helps to make the Christian story more relevant and vibrant.”

The Bishop said that the visit did not contradict his views on ‘indiscriminate’ flying, despite encouraging large numbers of his flock to join him in the trip.

He said: “I was not talking about stopping flying, but about flights in moderation.

“This is not just any trip or holiday. It is a pilgrimage and a learning experience.

“We will be following in the steps of St Paul and illustrating and putting our faith in context.

“I would not have arranged this tour if I did not feel that there was a genuine spiritual and intellectual value to it. It will change the people who go on it.

“Three years ago I went to Turkey with a small group from the Diocese, and as we were returning I felt this was something that it would be good to share more widely.”

In recent years the Bishop has holidayed close to home in western Scotland, Ireland and Jersey.

But he visited South Africa by plane in August on a pastoral visit to aid and guide a ‘linked parish’.