Air Transport

By Mike Martin

Europe’s biggest regional airline Flybe is making its debut at Paris air show having just launched the world’s first aircraft eco-labelling scheme.
Passengers booking with the UK-based operator now get a detailed breakdown of fuel consumption, carbon emissions and noise patterns of the aircraft they will travel on when they book their ticket.

Flybe is confident that its $2 billion investment in 60 (plus 15 options) Bombardier Q400 aircraft will equip it with the most environmentally sensitive aircraft available, and the airline is encouraging other competitors to follow suit.

The eco-labelling scheme – subject to an assurance process by consultants Deloitte  – is a response to the Stern Report’s call for ‘labelling’ to help consumers and businesses make sound decisions.

Each aircraft’s ‘eco-label’ is broken down into three parts:

• Local environment, which assesses the aircraft’s noise rating on an A (low) to F (high) rating; and the levels of CO2 and NOx emissions on a landing and take-off cycle basis
• Journey environment, which grades fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (kg/seat) on a range of typical European sectors basis (500km, 1,000km and 1,500km) and also on an A (low) to F (high) grading.
• Passenger environment, which contains information on minimum leg-room and the number of seats.
  The scheme allows passengers to assess the environmental impact of their journey. Passengers will then be in a position to decide whether they want to carbon-offset that journey.
  Flybe has partnered with the Clean Planet Trust (PURE) to operate verifiable carbon-offset schemes on behalf of Flybe’s passengers. Flybe will be the first major UK low-cost airline to offer such a service. PURE’s scheme for Flybe to help combat climate change has two components:
• All flights will be offset by the purchase and cancellation of Kyoto carbon credits in accordance with the proposed UK Government code of best practice for carbon offsetting.
• In Addition, PURE will make direct contributions to a range of small-scale carbon-reducing projects such as the installation of renewable energy systems in schools.
  Flybe passengers can elect at any time to make a contribution via Flybe to PURE, who will in turn provide an independently verified annual report to Flybe highlighting how much money has been donated and how it has been allocated. These reports will be posted on Flybe’s website. Earlier this year Flybe completed the acquisition of BA Connect and is well advanced in a programme to phase out all aircraft types other than the Q400 and the Embraer 195.