The Cost of Flying and the Call for Sustainability
Every comfortable and convenient flight contributes to the planet's carbon emissions, often without passengers realizing it. As climate change intensifies, the aviation industry—once overlooked as a major carbon emitter—faces unprecedented pressure to transform. Airlines, airports, and online travel agencies (OTAs) are actively seeking "green" solutions to offer more environmentally friendly flight options. However, a significant gap remains between aspiration and reality. Can airlines truly become "green"? How can passengers make informed choices to minimize their environmental impact while enjoying air travel? These complex questions require a deeper understanding of the industry's current state, challenges, and opportunities.
OAG Report: The Lack of Data Transparency and Informed Choices
One year ago, OAG (Official Airline Guide), a leading global flight data provider, published an important report examining how environmental concerns affect airlines, airports, OTAs, and other aviation service providers. A key finding was that while airlines are implementing various measures to reduce their environmental impact, a significant shortcoming remains: the lack of easily accessible data to help travelers make informed decisions when selecting flights.
The report highlighted substantial evidence that different aircraft types and operational approaches significantly affect fuel efficiency. For instance, newer aircraft with advanced engine technology and aerodynamic designs can dramatically reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Additionally, airlines' operational strategies—such as flight altitude, speed, and route selection—also influence fuel efficiency. However, this critical information often remains buried in complex aviation data, making it difficult for ordinary passengers to access and understand.
This creates a frustrating reality: even environmentally conscious consumers who want to choose greener flights often lack the necessary information. They must purchase tickets blindly, unaware of their chosen flight's environmental impact. OAG argues that consumers deserve better information to make informed choices about whether to fly, which flight to select, or whether to offset their carbon footprint. Only with adequate information can consumers use their market power to push airlines toward greener practices.
'Green Aviation': A Promising but Challenging Concept
The concept of "green aviation" aims to reduce the industry's environmental impact by improving aircraft efficiency, decreasing noise pollution, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This multifaceted approach includes:
- More efficient aircraft design: Advanced engine technology, aerodynamic improvements, and lightweight materials to reduce fuel consumption.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): Biofuels and synthetic fuels as alternatives to traditional fossil fuels.
- Optimized operational strategies: Better flight planning for altitude, speed, and routes to maximize fuel efficiency.
- Carbon offsetting: Investments in reforestation, renewable energy, and other projects to counterbalance flight emissions.
- Noise reduction: Quieter aircraft designs and optimized flight paths to minimize disturbance to communities.
Airlines and airports have taken important steps toward environmental sustainability, such as upgrading fleets with more efficient aircraft, experimenting with SAF, and offering carbon offset options. Airports are also working to improve operational efficiency by reducing energy consumption and waste.
However, achieving green aviation is far from simple. The industry faces numerous challenges:
- Technological limitations: Developing more efficient aircraft and SAF requires significant research investment and breakthroughs.
- Cost pressures: Adopting greener technologies and fuels often increases operational costs, potentially affecting profitability.
- Infrastructure constraints: Airports must adapt to accommodate new aircraft types and SAF.
- Insufficient policy support: Governments need clearer regulations to incentivize environmental transformation.
- Low consumer awareness: Many travelers remain unaware of green aviation concepts and lack the knowledge to choose more sustainable flights.
OAG's Data Insights: Revealing Differences in Airline Fuel Efficiency
OAG recognizes that simply collecting data isn't enough—transforming it into meaningful insights is crucial for industry progress. The company's data science team is working on projects that combine extensive flight data networks with predictive analytics and new technologies to create value across the aviation ecosystem.
One key initiative focuses on assessing aviation's environmental impact. By analyzing flight schedules, fleet data, and fuel consumption metrics, OAG aims to identify greener flight options on specific routes. Rather than examining fuel use per route, the analysis first highlights differences in fuel efficiency between airlines—some of which perform significantly better due to their aircraft choices.
The study examined three major aviation regions:
- Transatlantic flights: Long-haul routes between the Americas and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
- Intra-European flights: Primarily medium- and short-haul travel.
- Intra-Southeast Asian flights: Mostly medium- and short-haul travel.
The data came from September 2020, when global aviation was still heavily impacted by COVID-19. Travel demand was limited, international and domestic restrictions were widespread, and airlines were conserving cash by optimizing operations. Many carriers grounded older aircraft and focused on operating newer, more fuel-efficient models.
The analysis compared airlines' available seat kilometers (ASK)—calculated by multiplying available seats by flight distance—with fuel consumption per ASK. This metric serves as a valuable indicator of fuel efficiency, though variations exist due to differences in seat configurations and target load factors. Nevertheless, fuel consumption per ASK provides consumers with a reasonable basis for comparing airlines' environmental performance.
While individuals can take steps to reduce their aviation carbon footprint, airlines and governments bear primary responsibility for developing greener flight options.
Transatlantic Flights: The Advantage of Dreamliners
Among the 12 transatlantic airlines analyzed, route lengths varied significantly—Turkish Airlines' average flight distance between Europe and the Americas was likely much longer than British Airways'. Despite these differences, valuable patterns emerged.
The most fuel-efficient airlines consumed approximately half as much fuel per ASK as others. This means that at equal load factors, some carriers' carbon footprints could be twice as large as others—at least in terms of fuel consumption.
Comparing fleet composition and fuel data revealed that airlines with higher proportions of Boeing 787 Dreamliners in their fleets generally had lower average fuel consumption. This aligns with expectations, as the 787's advanced engine technology and aerodynamic design significantly reduce fuel use. Conversely, airlines relying more on Airbus A330s—except for Aer Lingus—typically showed worse fuel efficiency.
These findings demonstrate how fleet composition dramatically affects overall fuel consumption. Diversifying fuel sources and increasing SAF adoption could accelerate green aviation development.
Intra-European Flights: Performance Beyond Aircraft Age and Model?
Average flight distances within Europe were inevitably shorter than transatlantic routes. The most common aircraft were Airbus A318/319/320/321 series or Boeing 737 series, but these models varied widely in age and performance.
According to CAPA data, the Airbus A320-200—the most common variant—averaged just under 12 years old, while the newer A320neo averaged slightly over two years. Could fuel consumption differences be attributed to aircraft age and model variations?
OAG's analysis showed substantial variation among European airlines, ranging from nearly 26 liters of fuel per 1,000 ASK to under 9 liters. Iberia had the highest fuel consumption, while Vueling—both Spanish carriers under IAG Group—had among the lowest. Interestingly, both airlines operated similar aircraft mixes, primarily Airbus A320 family variants. The divergence suggests that operational strategies and airport choices—such as lengthy approaches at congested airports—may significantly impact fuel efficiency beyond aircraft specifications.
Intra-Southeast Asian Flights: Dramatic Operational Differences
Fuel efficiency variations were even more pronounced within Southeast Asia, with some airlines consuming over three times more fuel per ASK than others. Thai Airways and Philippine Airlines—which operated many wide-body aircraft on regional routes—had the highest fuel consumption, while AirAsia and Thai AirAsia, operating all-A320 fleets, were among the most efficient.
These numbers highlight how dramatically airline operational approaches differ—and how they affect both environmental impact and profitability. While comparing wide-body and narrow-body operations isn't entirely fair, the data clearly shows that some airlines operate aircraft far from optimal for environmental performance on these routes.
Uncomfortable Numbers: Focusing on Performance to Drive Progress
OAG's analysis reveals striking differences in airline fuel efficiency—findings that may unsettle some carriers while encouraging others. Publishing such data draws attention to airline operational performance, particularly concerning aviation's environmental impact, and empowers consumers to make more informed choices. This transparency could pressure airlines to prioritize fuel efficiency and improve operations.
As aviation recovers from recent turbulence, could environmental performance become a new competitive battleground? If so, airlines must prepare by investing in more efficient aircraft, SAF, and optimized operations—and by offering passengers truly greener flight options.
How Passengers Can Choose Greener Flights
Consumers can take several steps to minimize their environmental impact while flying:
- Select more efficient airlines: Prioritize carriers with newer, more fuel-efficient fleets and optimized operations.
- Choose direct flights: Connections increase fuel consumption and emissions.
- Fly economy class: Higher seat density means lower per-passenger emissions.
- Reduce luggage weight: Heavier baggage increases fuel use.
- Purchase carbon offsets: Support reforestation or renewable energy projects to counterbalance flight emissions.
- Consider alternative transport: For shorter distances, trains or buses may be greener options.
- Fly less frequently: Reduce unnecessary trips when possible.
Conclusion: Working Together for Aviation's Green Future
Aviation's green transformation is a long and difficult journey requiring collaboration between airlines, airports, governments, and consumers. Airlines must invest in efficient aircraft, SAF, and better operations. Airports need infrastructure upgrades for new technologies. Governments should implement supportive policies. Travelers must raise their environmental awareness and choose sustainable options.
Only through collective effort can aviation achieve a truly sustainable future—one where flight remains convenient while minimizing its ecological footprint.