A new study by easyJet sheds light on how changing the way planes fly could make a big difference.
The airline looked at its flights over the past year and found that outdated air routes are causing planes to use more fuel than they need to.
The study shows that fixing these old air routes could cut down on pollution by a lot.
In fact, easyJet thinks it could reduce its carbon emissions by over 10% just by flying more direct paths.
This is good news for anyone who cares about the planet but still wants to travel. It seems that making air travel cleaner might be easier than we thought.
Why Air Travel Gets Stuck in the Slow Lane
Air travel faces many bumps that slow planes down and waste fuel. These problems pop up during takeoff, cruising, and landing.
When planes take off, they often can’t climb smoothly to their best height.
This happens a lot at busy airports like London-Gatwick and Milan Malpensa. Planes need to be able to go up without stopping and starting.
Once in the air, planes don’t always fly the quickest path.
The skies over Italy, the UK, France, and Spain can be tricky to navigate. Old rules and twisty routes make flights longer than they need to be. Letting planes fly more directly across borders would help a lot.
Landing brings its own set of issues.
In the UK, Italy, Switzerland, and France, arriving planes often have to fly in circles or take long paths to the runway. This burns extra fuel and makes flights late.
Some recent changes haven’t helped. New landing plans at London Luton and Milan Malpensa actually made flights about 10 minutes longer on average.
These new rules try to make things easier for air traffic controllers, but they end up slowing down the planes.
To fix these problems, airports and countries need to work together. They should:
- Let planes climb smoothly after takeoff
- Create more direct flight paths
- Make landing quicker and simpler
These changes could save fuel, cut pollution, and get people to their destinations faster.
Ways to Improve Air Travel Efficiency
The airline industry can take several steps to cut carbon emissions and boost efficiency.
Redesigning arrival procedures is a key area for improvement. This includes making flight paths shorter and using smoother descent approaches.
Planes should also avoid flying at the same altitude for long periods during landing.
To make these changes happen, teamwork is crucial.
In the UK, one group should be in charge of updating the airspace system. Across Europe, airlines need to work with countries, air traffic controllers, and airports to find solutions.
The biggest gains can come from updating old airspace rules and removing outdated limits. Quick wins include:
- Redrawing flight paths near airports
- Using new navigation technology at more airports
These changes have worked well in Scandinavia. They help planes fly more predictable routes and avoid flying over busy areas. This cuts down on both noise and environmental impact.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the main recommendations:
- Shorten flight paths
- Use smoother descents
- Avoid long level flights during landing
- Work together across countries and organizations
- Update old airspace rules
- Use new navigation tech at more airports
What does the carrier think?
easyJet’s boss believes updating airspace is key to cutting carbon. He says old air routes from the 1950s don’t work well today.
Changing them could lower CO2 and make trips faster and better for flyers.
The CEO wants action now. He thinks red tape is slowing down needed changes.
His message to officials is clear – work together to fix this soon.
The airline sees airspace updates as a quick, cheap way to help the environment. But the CEO feels frustrated that it’s not happening fast enough.
He wants less talking and more doing to reach net zero goals.
