Airline Efficiency for Immediate Emission Reductions
Matthew Fischbacher
Airline Captain and Author
Decarbonizing aviation is a journey, not a single leap. Achieving net-zero emissions requires bold, persistent efforts over time. Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) remain the cornerstone of aviation’s decarbonization strategy. We start with available refining methods, which, though modest in carbon reduction, lay the groundwork for deeper cuts. Each step builds on the last, often over a decade, bringing us closer to a decarbonized future. Yet, as we look back on 2024, many industry leaders suggest that the 2030 SAF targets may still be out of reach.
While SAFs continue to evolve, a suite of operational improvements for airlines offers immediate, actionable benefits. These tools give airlines a strategic complement to SAF by enabling fuel efficiency gains now, while SAF refiners scale up to meet the full demand for fuel. From software upgrades that fine-tune engine performance to aerodynamic modifications and efficient ground support, among other advancements, these operational improvement technologies allow immediate gains.
Consider winglets, for instance. These small vertical extensions on wingtips improve airflow, saving 4-6% in fuel. Many aircraft today either feature built-in winglets or have been retrofitted with them. Similar advances hold significant promise. Electric Ground Taxi Systems (EGTS), developed by companies like Green Taxi Solutions, allow planes to taxi on the ground without using their main engines, saving over 4% in fuel per flight. Next-generation aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, offer 20-25% better fuel efficiency than their predecessors. AeroSHARK, a surface coating inspired by sharkskin and tested by Lufthansa, reduces fuel use by 1%. Broader air traffic upgrades—like SESAR in Europe and NextGen in the U.S.—could reduce route fuel use by up to 10%.
By integrating these technologies—to mention just a few, such as winglets, EGTS, fleet renewal, and advanced air traffic management—the industry can achieve substantial, near-term progress in reducing emissions.
Operational improvements have proven their value, yet many technologies available today and on the horizon are not fully implemented. Realizing these gains, however, depends on airlines overcoming financial and capital budgeting constraints. With narrow profit margins, airlines must weigh each investment against upfront costs, payback periods, and certainty of returns. Although operational improvements offer long-term savings, high initial costs often make airlines hesitate—even when the efficiency benefits are undeniable.
For the aviation industry to maximize its decarbonization potential, it’s crucial to cultivate an investment climate that supports both immediate operational improvements and long-term SAF scaling. Operational improvements offer airlines a distinct advantage: unlike SAF investments, which often involve longer timelines, operational upgrades provide measurable returns in a shorter timeframe. This shorter payback period makes them a strategic complement to SAF initiatives. Many operational improvements are already near the investment threshold and would benefit greatly from a modest boost to become fully viable.
Establishing an Airline Operational Efficiency Initiative could unlock large-scale potential by unifying advocacy and capital attraction efforts. This coordinated action would signal to investors and policymakers that operational improvements are a high-impact investment area, attracting private capital and government incentives to support new fuel-saving technologies.
With a unified focus, supply-side technology providers would be incentivized to accelerate innovation, leading to scalable, cost-effective operational improvements. An investment-friendly climate would also support demand-side adoption by airlines, reducing their financial hesitation. Tax breaks and policy incentives could offset the upfront costs of operational improvements, making budgeting decisions more straightforward. This support would allow airlines to implement upgrades sooner, capturing long-term fuel savings and emissions reductions by pushing these upgrades over the investment threshold.
SAFs are essential for long-term decarbonization, but operational improvements remain key for near-term emissions reductions. Since 1990, these efficiencies have led to a 55% improvement in fuel burn per passenger mile, according to ICAO. Further gains in this area will drive progress as SAF production scales.
Operational improvements and SAFs together give aviation a direct path to lower emissions and greater fuel efficiency. A unified industry action through a lobbying effort on Operational Improvements will open new investment and drive fuel savings across the industry.