Aircraft emissions

The carbon dioxide emitted by our aircraft is our most significant environmental impact, while the noise emitted by planes can have a major impact on those living near airports. Reducing our aircraft emissions is therefore a priority for Thomas Cook Group.

We do not advocate a reduction in air tourism. Of course, that would threaten our business, but it would also threaten the social and economic benefits brought by tourists to many of the world's poorest countries. Without air travel, many of these countries would not be feasible destinations for most tourists. Rather we support measures to reduce emissions and encourage fuel efficiency per passenger kilometre. Thomas Cook Group's airlines are already significantly more efficient than industry benchmarks. For example, our Scandinavian airline achieved one of the industry's highest cabin load factors (the proportion of aircraft seats filled) in 2009/10, resulting in lower emissions per passenger kilometre.

Each of our airlines has a working group focused on further improving fuel efficiency and our airlines get together to share best practice. We have also implemented a system to monitor the effectiveness of any efficiency initiatives. In 2009/10, these initiatives together saved around 15,000 tonnes of fuel, creating resultant savings of around 48,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. They included:

• Fitting winglets to suitable planes. Winglets are vertical extensions attached to wing tips to minimise drag. They allow the aircraft to reach its cruising height faster and lessen the thrust needed during the approach to landing, thus reducing both fuel use and noise
• Switching to lighter-weight items on-board, such as seating and catering equipment
• Awareness-raising sessions at pilot forums and regular newsletters informing the pilot community of our progress in this area
• Fitting zonal drying systems, which remove moisture from the air, thus preventing condensation and reducing aircraft weight
• Lobbying to open airspace in order to follow more direct routes.

Our airlines are also engaging with their customers on the issue of carbon emissions. Our Scandinavian airline customers can offset the carbon emissions from their flight through GreenSeat. The money GreenSeat receives from passengers is used to fund projects that either absorb carbon through reforestation or avoid emissions through renewable energy. And in the UK, each of our planes has an eco-label on its boarding door, similar to those found on electrical goods in the EU, showing passengers how fuel-efficient the aircraft is and its noise rating, along with information on leg room and the number of seats.

In 2011, airlines within Thomas Cook Group will begin a programme of renewing our aircraft fleets. As newer aircraft use more fuel-efficient technology, this will contribute to reducing our CO₂ emissions.

Reducing noise emissions from aircraft is complex: noise levels depend on various factors, such as flight path, aircraft design and flying techniques. Reductions therefore require collaboration between airlines, airport operators, regulatory authorities, air traffic control and pilots. Together these industry players have made significant progress over the past 30 years. Through technological developments and other measures, industry-wide noise levels from aircraft have already fallen 20 decibels and are estimated to halve again by 2020.

We require our pilots to use the lowest engine power setting wherever possible and to follow certain paths for take-off, selected by airports for their reduced noise impact on local communities. Our pilots are also instructed to use continuous descent approach (CDA) whenever possible. This technique of maintaining a constant downward angle during the approach to an airport, rather than the traditional stepped approach, means that engines can be kept on a lower, less noisy power setting.

Performance data

Airline fuel consumption

Airline carbon emissions per revenue passenger kilometre

^ back to top