Global Travel Management | Business Travel Specialists

ITA Airways boosts fleet with four new Airbus aircraft

8, April 2024/in News /by Dave

ITA Airways, hot on the heels of revealing its financial statements for 2023, is forging ahead with its expansion plans by adding four state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft to its fleet in just one week.

This rapid expansion brings the total number of NewGen aircraft in ITA Airways’ fleet to 44 out of a total of 87.

Efficiently integrating the new aircraft into service during the last week of March was a testament to the company’s dedication and the collaborative efforts of ITA Airways personnel, ENAC and other regulatory bodies involved in the authorisation processes.

The aircraft were swiftly made available for operations within a day of being registered in the Company’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

The four new additions to the fleet include an A330-900 owned by ITA Airways, alongside an A321neo, an A320neo, and an A220-100, all leased by the company.

Francesco Presicce, Accountable Manager and Chief Technology Officer of ITA Airways, expressed his satisfaction with the achievement, stating,

Investment in our fleet, which has grown by more than 60% since our inception, lies at the heart of our strategy. Today, announcing the entry into service of four new-generation Airbus aircraft in just one week is highly gratifying for us.

Presicce highlighted the company’s commitment to efficient and safe operations, emphasizing the success of their Entry Into Service procedures. He revealed ambitious goals for 2024, aiming to introduce 26 new aircraft into the fleet, reaching a total of 96 by year-end, with 67% belonging to the new generation.

ITA Airways is not only focused on expanding its fleet but also on fitting out its next-generation aircraft with cutting-edge technology and onboard Wi-Fi to enhance efficiency and service quality while reducing environmental impact.

The airline aims to make significant strides towards environmental sustainability, with a target for approximately 90% of its fleet to be environmentally friendly by the end of its 2023-2027 Strategic Plan.

The expansion of the new generation fleet underscores ITA Airways’ commitment to growth while aligning with its sustainability objectives for the benefit of the environment and the community.

For further information on ITA Airways’ fleet expansion and sustainability initiatives, business travellers are encouraged to contact their Global Travel Management Account Manager.

Air Malta’s fleet renewal project continues with fifth Airbus A320neo delivery – improved comfort, reliability, and sustainability for business travellers

27, March 2023/in News /by Dave

Air Malta has taken delivery of its fifth Airbus A320neo, 9H-NEE, which marks another milestone in the airline’s fleet renewal project.

This new aircraft will replace the outgoing A320ceo, 9H-AEQ, and is equipped with CFM International LEAP-1A engines and features a two-cabin configuration that can accommodate up to 180 passengers.

Many business travellers appreciate that the A320neo is the world’s most comfortable short-to-medium-haul aircraft, and with its advanced technology, it offers improved fuel efficiency and lower carbon emissions than previous-generation Airbus aircraft.

**Connected airline**: Air Malta is a point-to-point airline that links to partner airlines through 13 codeshares and 61 interline agreements.

The aircraft’s quieter engines and added approach and landing capabilities ensure a smoother and more comfortable journey, while its data communication systems make it a reliable option for short-range flights.

Air Malta’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its fleet renewal project, which aims to transition to a single-type aircraft, the A320neo, to reduce fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and noise footprint.

The delivery flight from the Airbus plant in Toulouse to Malta International Airport was powered by a blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which demonstrates Air Malta’s efforts to be a leader in reducing human-induced climate change and meeting its sustainability targets.

Business travellers will appreciate the in-flight entertainment experience offered by the Blueview digital system onboard the A320neo, which provides access to videos, audio, moving maps, games and much more.

Overall, Air Malta’s investment in its fleet renewal project is good news for business travelers, as it offers improved comfort, reliability, and sustainability while maintaining its reputation as the national airline of the Maltese Islands.

SWISS reveals its new air travel experience

6, March 2023/in News /by Dave

Swiss International Airlines is to offer its customers a totally new and more personalised ‘SWISS Senses’ air travel experience from 2025 onwards.

The centrepiece of the new customer product is a redesigned cabin for the airline’s long-haul aircraft fleet.

SWISS First, SWISS Business and SWISS Economy are being totally redesigned, while the popular SWISS Premium Economy which was introduced in 2022 will also be retained.

SWISS will gradually install the new cabins throughout its long-haul fleet from 2025 onwards. Its new Airbus A350-900s will be delivered with the new interior installed.

SWISS is to offer its customers a totally new and more personalized ‘SWISS Senses’ air travel experience from 2025 onwards. The centrepiece of the new customer product is an entirely redesigned cabin for the airline’s long-haul aircraft fleet. SWISS unveiled its new cabin interiors to the public today.

SWISS Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx said,

This is the most comprehensive cabin renewal in the history of our company. As a premium airline, we want to pay due and full regard to our customers’ desire for more individuality. And with this extremely high-quality product, we can continue to meet all our high aspirations.

The totally redesigned long-haul cabin features a timeless colour scheme and top-quality materials. The warm and muted tones such as claret, anthracite and beige convey a particular sense of comfort and calm. The new concept also extends to SWISS’s first-ever suites, which will be offered in SWISS First and parts of SWISS Business. All seating classes will also feature new Human-Centric Lighting which helps alleviate jet lag’s effects. A new state-of-the-art inflight entertainment system with bigger screens and connection options for the customer’s own personal devices will also be provided in all seating classes.

SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour said,

With ‘SWISS Senses’ we’re making our customers’ air travel an even more personal and more sensual experience. With its deep devotion to detail, our new long-haul cabin will give our passengers a particular feeling of warmth and well-being – a cosy and comfortable yet also functional environment in all our travel classes.

SWISS Senses: “the next generation inflight experience”

SWISS First

The new SWISS First suites offer their guests total privacy with closable sliding doors, a spacious personal wardrobe, a large seat table, seat heating and cooling, a wireless charging station and a screen display that is as wide as the suite itself.

The cabin’s centre suite can also be configured to suit two persons travelling together.

The suites’ warm colours and wood features convey a strong sense of comfort and calm within top-quality surrounds.

An advanced and spacious new washroom has also been developed for the new SWISS First cabin.

The facility draws its inspiration from the famous spring in Vals in Canton Graubünden: a slate-black exterior, and a green interior that alludes to the spring’s fresh and cooling water.

SWISS Business

The totally redesigned SWISS Business cabin is intentionally conceived to meet a wide range of wishes and needs.

In addition to ‘classic’ Business Class seats, the new cabin offers various further seating options such as double seats for passengers travelling together.

Selected seats can also be closed off with a sliding door.

All the new SWISS Business seats feature seat heating and cooling and a wireless charging station.

The cabin’s top-quality materials in claret and anthracite help convey an extremely cosy and intimate ambience throughout.

SWISS Premium Economy

The highly popular SWISS Premium Economy Class with its greater seat comfort and superior cabin service will remain an integral feature within the new air travel experience.

SWISS was the first airline in the Lufthansa Group to introduce the new Premium Economy seat which, with its 48-centimetre width and its almost one-metre pitch, has set new industry benchmarks.

The recently-introduced SWISS Premium Economy Class has proved very popular with passengers, and will remain a key element in the airline’s new air travel experience.

SWISS Economy

The new SWISS Economy cabin will be equipped with new comfortable and functional seats.

Thanks to their optimum construction, seat pitch has been increased.

Every seat will also feature a more than 13-inch high-resolution screen, and the extensive new inflight entertainment system will help the time aloft fly by.

The new seats are further provided with an amenity storage facility and a USB port, and offer additional comfort in the first seat rows.

The new cabin interiors will be installed from 2025 onwards, initially on the SWISS Airbus A330-300 fleet and later on the company’s Boeing 777-300ERs.

The new Airbus A350-900s on order will be delivered with their new cabins already installed.

Auction of A380 parts

3, October 2022/in News /by Dave

On the 13, 14 and 15 October 2022, five hundred A380 parts will be auctioned by Airbus for the benefit of the Airbus Foundation and the AIRitage association.

These parts were selected following the deconstruction of MSN 13 by TARMAC Aerosave, partner of the auction.

Lamps, the bar, stairs, handrails, trolleys, seats, paddles, and even the cockpit rescue rope: more than 500 items, mostly from the cabin of this emblematic aircraft, will be offered to enthusiasts at an auction to be held in Toulouse and on the Internet, under the hammer of Maître Labarbe.

The vast majority of the parts come from the A380 MSN13, which entered service in 2008 and was meticulously deconstructed in 2021 by TARMAC Aerosave, the world leader in the sustainable management of aircraft end of life, from maintenance to recycling.

Qantas Group announced major aircraft order to shape its future

3, May 2022/in News /by Dave

The Qantas Group has announced several major fleet decisions that will reshape its international and domestic networks over the next decade and beyond.

These decisions will also improve journeys for millions of people every year, and create over 1,000 jobs as well as many career progression opportunities at the national carrier.

Project Winton

Domestically, Qantas will start the renewal of its narrow body jets as part of ‘Project Winton’ with firm orders for twenty Airbus A321XLRs and twenty A220-300s as its Boeing 737s and 717s are gradually retired.

The first of these aircraft will start to arrive in late 2023, with the order including purchase right options for another 94 aircraft for delivery through to at least 2034.

Project Sunrise

Internationally, twelve Airbus A350-1000s will be ordered to operate non-stop ‘Project Sunrise’ flights from Australia to other cities including New York and London.

These aircraft will feature market-leading passenger comfort in each travel class with services scheduled to start by the end of calendar 2025 from Sydney.

**Major aircraft order**:
*Airbus A350-1000, A321XLR and A220-300 included*

All of these next generation aircraft – through their lower emissions, longer range, less noise and better economics – will improve how people travel around Australia and overseas.

Qantas customers can expect more direct routes and therefore less total travel time. They can expect higher levels of cabin comfort. And, particularly on domestic and regional routes, they can expect more choice of flights at different times of day due to different size aircraft for peak and off-peak times.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said:

**Alan Joyce**:
A structurally different company

New types of aircraft make new things possible. That’s what makes today’s announcement so significant for the national carrier and for a country like Australia where air travel is crucial.
Throughout our history, the aircraft we’ve flown have defined the era we’re in.
The 707 introduced the jet age, the 747 democratised travel and the A380 brought a completely new level of comfort.
The A350 and Project Sunrise will make any city just one flight away from Australia. It’s the last frontier and the final fix for the tyranny of distance. As you’d expect, the cabin is being specially designed for maximum comfort in all classes for long-haul flying.
The A320s and A220s will become the backbone of our domestic fleet for the next 20 years, helping to keep this country moving. Their range and economics will make new direct routes possible, including serving regional cities better.
These newer aircraft and engines will reduce emissions by at least 15 per cent if running on fossil fuels, and significantly better when run on Sustainable Aviation Fuel. This order brings us closer to our commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Project Sunrise will be carbon neutral from day one.
We have come through the other side of the pandemic a structurally different company. Our domestic market share is higher and the demand for direct international flights is even stronger than it was before COVID. The business case for Project Sunrise has an internal rate of return in the mid-teens.
The Board’s decision to approve what is the largest aircraft order in Australian aviation is a clear vote of confidence in the future of the Qantas Group. Our strategy for these aircraft will see us generate significant benefits for those who make it possible – our people, our customers and our shareholders.
The phasing of this order means it can be funded within our debt range and through earnings, while still leaving room for shareholder returns in line with our financial framework.”

JetBlue orders 30 additional Airbus A220-300, raising its firm order to 100

16, February 2022/in News /by Dave

JetBlue has announced an agreement to exercise its option to add 30 additional Airbus A220-300 aircraft to its order book, bringing the total number of A220s in the airline’s fleet and on order to 100.

The aircraft’s strong economics and operational performance are a key to JetBlue’s long-term cost performance, while also enabling more sustainable flying, greater flexibility to support JetBlue’s network strategy, and the introduction of its all-new onboard experience to more customers.

Robin Hayes, chief executive officer of JetBlue said

We’re already seeing benefits from the eight A220s we’ve added to the fleet, and we’re very happy to have more on the way.
We’ve seen double-digit increases in customer satisfaction scores, and these fuel-efficient aircraft support our leadership in reducing carbon emissions.
With 30 additional A220s on order, we’re in a position to accelerate our fleet modernisation plans to deliver stronger cost performance and support our focus city network strategy.

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International said:

It is very rewarding to see a happy customer coming back for more aircraft not even a year after entry into service of its first A220.
We salute our friends at JetBlue on this landmark deal.
Over 700 A220 orders to date underscore the strong market appetite for this all-new single aisle aircraft.

In 2018, JetBlue announced its initial order of 60 A220s and the option for 60 additional aircraft. JetBlue converted 10 of 60 options to firm orders in 2019, and the 30 A220s now announced will enable acceleration of the retirement of JetBlue’s Embraer E190 fleet.

*JetBlue’s initial order for 60 A220 aircraft was announced in July 2018.*

JetBlue say that the A220’s spacious and comfortable cabin makes it the perfect fit for JetBlue, which has consistently led U.S. airlines in onboard experience.

The airline’s A220s are outfitted with 140 Collins Meridian seats, customised around customer feedback and featuring a number of design elements with comfort and convenience in mind.

Seating is arranged in a two-by-three configuration offering multiple seating options for all party sizes and includes USB-C, USB-A and AC power at every seat.

JetBlue – which claims to offer the most legroom in ‘coach’ – makes great use of the A220’s ultra-modern design to create an elevated customer experience throughout the interior.

The airline explained that every aspect of the aircraft has been meticulously customised to create the perfect environment to deliver JetBlue’s award-winning service. Customer comfort is enhanced with bigger windows for better views and a more spacious feel, reconfigured overhead bins for additional carry-on bag capacity and custom LED mood lighting designed to provide a more soothing inflight experience with lighting scenarios that change with time of day or phase of flight.

Wizz Air announce orders for up to 196 Airbus aircraft

15, November 2021/in News /by Dave

Wizz Air Holdings has announced that it has signed an agreement with Airbus for the purchase of a further 102 Airbus A321 aircraft.

The order comprises 75 Airbus A321neo and 27 Airbus A321XLR aircraft, with the bulk to be delivered between 2025 and 2027.

Wizz Air may also acquire a further 19 A321neo aircraft.

Airbus has also granted Wizz Air 75 A321neo purchase rights for deliveries in 2028-29, to be converted into a firm order by the end of 2022.

As with previous orders, under the agreement Wizz Air has the right to substitute a number of the Airbus A321neo aircraft with the Airbus A320neo and/or A321XLR aircraft and vice versa, depending on its future requirements. Completion of the order remains subject to approval by Wizz Air shareholders.

With the new order, Wizz Air’s delivery backlog comprises:

a firm order for 34 A320neo, 254 A321neo and 47 A321XLR aircraft
the additional order for 19 A321neo
purchase rights for 75 A321neo
a total of 429 aircraft

József Váradi, Wizz Air’s chief executive officer said:

After two years in service, Wizz Air’s Airbus A321neo continues to provide market-leading aircraft technology and choice – there is simply no other aircraft that can compete with it. With its next-generation engines, it has proven to be the game-changer that we said it would be when we placed our first order back in 2015.

But most importantly, these are by far the most fuel and cost efficient aircraft in their class – supporting us in maintaining our position as the most sustainable airline in Europe and reaching our sustainability goals of reducing CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre by 25% by 2030. It is important to note that if all European airlines switched to a modern Airbus A320/1 fleet like Wizz Air and operated them as efficiently as Wizz Air, the whole industry’s CO2 emissions would reduce by 34% overnight.

Wizz Air is an ambitious airline with a strategy that seeks to grow the company and will continue to stimulate demand for air travel in Europe and beyond by offering the lowest fares and CO2 footprint to our customers, while still delivering a great customer experience on-board one of the youngest fleets in Europe. Our current average aircraft age stands at 5.1 years, well below the industry average, but with this new order we will see this drop to 3.6 years by 2024, and even further to 3.2 years by 2026.

Despite strong demand for the aircraft, we have signed very attractive terms with Airbus for the long-term supply of more aircraft until the end of the decade, catapulting Wizz Air towards our aim of being a 500 aircraft group and putting us in an unassailable position when it comes to sustainability.
This new order, if approved by Wizz Air’s shareholders, would bring Wizz Air’s outstanding orders with Airbus to 429 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft.

Aviation industry collaborates on emission-reduction project, fello’fly

11, September 2020/in News /by Dave

Airbus has signed agreements with two airline customers, and three Air Navigation Service Providers to demonstrate the operational feasibility of Airbus’ demonstrator project, fello’fly, for reducing aviation emissions.

The airlines Frenchbee and SAS Scandinavian Airlines have joined Airbus, the UK’s NATS, DSNA of France and EURCONTROL to participate in the project.

Inspired by biomimicry, fello’fly is based on Wake Energy Retrieval (WER) to reduce aviation emissions. WER replicates the behaviour of birds, which fly together to reduce their energy consumption. The technique of a follower aircraft retrieving energy lost by a leader, by flying in the smooth updraft of air the wake creates, reduces fuel consumption in the range of 5-10% per trip.

How a fello’fly flight will actually work

Nick Macdonald, fello’fly Demonstrator Leader said:

In the aviation industry, achieving our emission-reduction targets will require implementing innovative new ways to use aircraft in the skies. Our collaboration with our airline partners and ANSPs on fello’fly shows that we’re making good efforts towards these goals.

Frenchbee and SAS will provide airline expertise in flight planning and operations for the collaborative requirements necessary for bringing together aircraft before and during a fello’fly operation. DSNA, NATS and EUROCONTROL will contribute air navigation expertise defining how two aircraft can be brought safely together, minimising impact on today’s procedures. In parallel Airbus will continue working on the technical solution to assist pilots in ensuring that aircraft remain safely positioned.

Airbus explained how the system will work:

In today’s operations, aircraft are directed by ATC to enter transatlantic routes at a specific time and altitude via a designated oceanic clearance point. Pilots then use a flight management function to direct the aircraft to arrive at the designated point at the specified time and altitude.
In the case of two fello’fly aircraft, ATC will direct them to arrive at the same clearance point but on two different flight levels separated by 1,000 feet. Under the rules of today’s airspace and procedures, this is the closest aircraft can fly together.
Once both fello’fly aircraft have reached the clearance point, they will collaborate to manoeuvre into the rendez-vous position, which is when the follower aircraft is 1.5 nautical miles behind the leader aircraft and separated by 1,000 feet.
From here, pilots will use flight assistance functions to move the aircraft safely to a position in the updraft where it is saving fuel through wake-energy retrieval.
When both aircraft need to separate to head to their destinations, one aircraft will reposition itself into the spare flight level and inform ATC, which will again start identifying them as individual aircraft within the ATC system.

Given the high potential to make a significant impact on emissions reduction for the aviation industry as a whole, directly contributing to the sector’s sustainable growth goals, Airbus is targeting a controlled Entry-Into-Service (EIS), which is expected by the middle of this decade.

fello’fly is part of Airbus UpNext, an Airbus subsidiary created to give future technologies a development fast track by building demonstrators at speed and scale.

What are aircraft manufacturers doing to keep passengers safe onboard?

5, August 2020/in News /by Dave

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have been working harder than ever to make sure that their passengers enjoy the safest-possible experience. Masks, gloves, additional cleaning protocols and appropriate distancing have all been deployed by airlines as means of ensuring risk levels are minimised.

But what are the aircraft manufacturers doing?

We took a look at two of the best-known aircraft builders, Airbus and Boeing. This is what we found.

Cabin air

Airbus and Boeing aircraft cabin air is circulated and filtered constantly throughout flights. A mixture of fresh air, drawn from outside the aircraft, and purified air, recirculated ensures that the air in the cabin is renewed every 2-3 minutes.

“It’s our duty to ensure the safety of our passengers. But safety also means health”.
Airbus Head of Engineering Jean-Brice Dumont.

The air enters the cabin at ceiling level and circulates through the cabin, leaving through grilles at floor level. The air generally leaves the cabin near the same row it enters, so that there is a minimum of front-to-back air movement.

Before the air is recirculated, it goes through high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. The HEPA filters remove 99.9% of particles present in the air, typically down to the size of microscopic bacteria and virus clusters.

Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Engineering at Airbus, explained what cabin air movement is like:

The aircraft flies in a very hostile environment, with the very cold air and low oxygen. So we must take care that the air in the cabin has the right pressure, temperature and humidity and is clean enough to protect the passengers’ health, safety and to ensure comfort.
The air you have around you is made to share. Half of it is thrown outside and is replaced by fresh air which is heated. The other half is recirculated, a bit like in your car, when you press the button with the circular arrow!
It’s recirculated, going through HEPA filters – they are very efficient filters, of a hospital type – and they block particulates like Covid, viruses, microbes, 99.9% at least.

Dumont went on to explain the vertical movement of air inside the cabin and the frequency of air exchange:

The air is blown from above, so there is no movement of the air forwards or backwards in the aircraft, by design. It’s like every row has its own air conditioning. You can consider that the air around you is renewed every two-to-three minutes. In other words, twenty to thirty times per hour, you’ve got completely new air around you.

Cleaning protocols

Airbus and Boeing work with their customer airlines to ensure cleaning protocols are appropriate, efficient and thorough.

Mike Delaney leads Boeing’s “Confident Travel Initiative” to help the aviation industry safely resume global air travel amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Boeing supports airlines with cleaning and disinfecting practices as the second stage in a three-stage protection layer. The first is reliance on airlines and airports to prevent infected passengers from boarding aircraft. And the third is minimising the opportunity for contaminants to spread in the cabin by the careful design of the air cabin system, and encouraging passengers to wear face coverings.

Mike Delaney, head of Boeing’s Confident Travel Initiative, said:

Our commitment to ensuring the health of airline passengers and crews is unwavering. We’re working with partners to enhance aircraft cleanliness procedures and identify other areas to further reduce the risk of airborne illness transmission.

Airbus exchanges information with airlines and operators on appropriate cleaning procedures and products. In addition, Airbus is testing several more solutions:

Fogging (also known as spraying or misting): Using a fogging machine to spray disinfectant liquid on aircraft surfaces
Thermal treatment: Heating the cabin between flights to a temperature much higher than usual ambient temperature
Ultraviolet (UV) light: Exposing aircraft surfaces to short-wave ultraviolet (UV-C) light
Exploring use cases for active ion generation for disinfection

Airbus and Boeing are innovative, experienced manufacturers in a competitive and safety-conscious industry. So it’s easy to see how they are both at the forefront of safety and ensuring covid-secure travel.

If you want to know more about how to keep safe on flights, you might like to download our guide “Getting Back to Business Travel”, here.

If you need any more information about the safety procedures airlines are adopting on flights you want to take, contact your GTM Account Manager.

easyJet makes net zero carbon emission commitment

11, December 2019/in News /by Natalie

easyJet has announced that it will become the world’s first major airline to operate net-zero carbon flights across its whole network.

The airline will achieve this goal by offsetting the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights. easyJet will undertake carbon offsetting through schemes accredited by two of the highest verification standards, Gold Standard and VCS. They will include forestry, renewable and community based projects.

The airline will continue to support innovative technology, including the development of hybrid and electric planes, working with others across the industry to reinvent and de-carbonise aviation over the long-term. The aim will be for easyJet to reduce the amount of carbon offsetting undertaken as new technologies emerge.

easyJet and Airbus will cooperate on three distinct work packages set to define the impacts and the requirements necessary for the large-scale introduction of next generation sustainable aircraft on infrastructure and every-day commercial aircraft operations.

easyJet has been supporting Wright Electric over the last two years, which is aiming to produce an all-electric ‘easyJet sized’ plane which could be used for short haul flights.

easyJet will also aim to stimulate innovation in carbon reduction by supporting the development of technologies which will enable hybrid electric and electric planes and championing advanced carbon capture technologies. We will look to use these technologies as well as sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) as they become available and commercially viable.

Since 2000 easyJet has reduced the carbon emissions for each kilometre flown by a passenger by over a third (33.67%). Initiatives have included introducing light weight carpets, trolleys and seats, single engine taxiing and removing paper manuals from aircraft.

In 2013 easyJet established a public target to reduce its carbon emissions per passenger kilometre. The target was strengthened in 2015 to a 10% reduction on carbon emissions per passenger kilometre by 2022 on its 2016 performance.

Johan Lundgren, easyJet’s CEO, said:

Climate change is an issue for all of us. At easyJet we are tackling this challenge head on by choosing to offset the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of our flights starting today. In doing so we are committing to operating net-zero carbon flights across our network – a world first by any major airline. We acknowledge that offsetting is only an interim measure until other technologies become available to radically reduce the carbon emissions of flying, but we want to take action on carbon now.

easyJet has a long tradition of efficient flying – the aircraft we fly and the way we fly them means that easyJet is already more efficient than many airlines. However, our priority is to continue to work on reducing our carbon footprint in the short term, coupled with long-term work to support the development of new technology, including electric planes which aspire to radically reduce the carbon footprint of aviation.

I am therefore delighted that we have also announced a new electric plane partnership with Airbus. We will be working together to identify the detailed technical challenges and requirements for electric and electric hybrid planes when deployed for short haul flying around Europe. We hope this will be an important step towards making electric planes a reality.
“We also need governments to support efforts to decarbonise aviation. In particular they must reform aviation taxes to incentivise efficient behaviour, fund research and development in new technology and ensure that early movers such as easyJet are not penalised.”

Speaking about easyJet offsetting the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights, Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder of Forum for the Future, said:

This is an exciting development from easyJet, which is obviously taking the issue of climate change very seriously. But as is now widely understood, carbon offsetting can only be a bridge to future technological developments, and it will be important to seek out each and every way of reducing carbon emissions. Beyond that, the whole industry needs to come together more effectively to decarbonise this critical sector just as quickly as possible.

If your next business trip takes you to a city served by easyJet, contact your GTM Account Manager to search for and book the best fare and to manage your whole trip.

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