Can traveling become more eco-friendly? Greenest airlines – can that be true? Global carbon emissions percentage from flying is around 3% and is rising from year to year as more people travel more often.
Flying companies still managing this rise with success keeping their emissions low or not so high as it was expected. Biofuel alternatives, better places, and a try to keep the weight lower so the jet can consume less fuel is the main cause of the result. Of course, companies have also in mind the balance between lower expenses and higher profit but again the success result is a fact.
Some airlines try more than others in that direction and we want whatever is good for our climate and the smaller carbon footprint to bring it in front of people so they can also have an opinion and support the action.
A list of 7 airlines is following that stands out for its policies towards environmental protection and fuel efficiency, and we believe each one is a smart choice for your travel needs.
KLM
KLM opens our list of the 7 greenest airlines. It has a big room for improvement while the fleet is not the best one and also the policy is not as strict as it could but the company is in a very good way to have goals for the next years and reduce emmisions in total.
Jetblue
A low-cost airline from the U.S., Jetblue uses newer aircraft than most other companies. They take distance optimization seriously when it comes to flights and do their part in regards to freight-share. While not in the top three. Jetblue is certainly far from the worst ones out there when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.
United Airlines
This airline seems genuinely interested in reducing its emissions. They launched the Eco-Skyes program in 2013 in an attempt to find alternative fuels and they began using biofuels in 2015. Their fleet has also gotten some new additions that are much friendlier to the environment.
Continental Airlines
This airline’s flights are not only filled to the brim but also long-haul and almost around the clock, a good reason to rank them on the fourth place, along with the normal density of seats and a rapidly aging fleet. Even with so many things going against them, Continental airlines still manages to come out ahead of many other airlines due to their fuel management.
Easy Jet
Same battle field as Ryan Air, this airline prioritizes cost optimization. Seat density, the consumption of fuel and policy regarding luggage are all crucial for the company. Easy Jet’s plane fleet isn’t as new as the ones of Cathay Pacific or Ryan Air, and that’s the sole reason why this airline comes in third.
Greenest Airlines – Ryan Air Tops the List
Cathay Pacific
An airline from Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific sports the newest aircraft fleet and thus generates the least amount of emissions. Their flights are long-haul, they optimize seat density and they also do freight share, taking other cargo for a maximum of a third of their full capacity.
Ryan Air
The company is in the low-cost area. What describes best Ryan Air? Strict policy ( with almost everything 🙂 ) For the climate strict is good! Luggage weight control is working towards that direction and the company is trying to have most of the seats ccupied. New Airbus aircrafts, is also a big plus, as a newer model that makes better use of kerosene.
As conclusion, we should say for sure that the best way to make the travel greener is to travel less if it is not worth it, also plan the trip as good as it gets and avoid any unnecessary routes. Sustainable tourism is a way of life, a culture that should be adopted and the signs are quite positive so far.