SAS, Finnair and China Airlines Launch Passenger Carbon Offsetting Initiatives

(GreenAir Online) Three airlines – SAS, Finnair and China Airlines – have each introduced carbon offsetting initiatives for their customers. Starting this month, SAS Group will offset the carbon emissions of all tickets booked through its EuroBonus loyalty programme, which has 5.6 million members. The airline estimates that around 40% of passenger-related carbon emissions will be offset as a result and says it will be introducing this year the opportunity for customers to reduce their carbon footprint through choosing a biofuel upgrade option when purchasing tickets. Last month, Finnair introduced a service for customers to offset or reduce the CO2 of their flights by supporting an emissions reduction project or through buying biofuel.

SAS has set a target of reducing its CO2 emissions by 25% by the year 2030 compared with 2005, after when it intends to use biofuel corresponding to total fuel consumption for all SAS domestic flights within Scandinavia, or around 17% of total fuel consumption. Last year it signed a letter of intent with Preem, Sweden’s largest fuel company, to produce renewable aviation fuels using forestry residues and other waste materials (see article). The airline is expecting Preem to supply 10-12% of its total fuel demand by 2023.

It reports that it used 100 tonnes of renewable jet fuel on flights from Stockholm last year.

Finnair’s ‘Push for Change’ programme offers passengers the opportunity to support a cookstove project in Mozambique by donating €1 ($1.13) for a round-trip within Finland, €2 for a round-trip in Europe or €6 for a return intercontinental trip. The charge is based on the average emissions and the costs of reducing one tonne of CO2 within the project. Payments in full will go to the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation, an institution established by the Nordic governments to finance sustainable green growth and climate projects.

Customers can also choose to support the use of biofuels in Finnair flights through contributing 10, 20 or 65 euros for return flights within Finland, within Europe or intercontinental respectively. Finnair says the price is based on a scenario where the aviation fuel used contains a 15% biofuel component and all passengers on the flight have chosen to support the use of biofuel. The airline is partnering with sustainable aviation fuel supplier SkyNRG and the fuel will be produced in California from used cooking oil.

The programme follows a consumer research study conducted last year by Finnair that showed the majority of those questioned were ready to pay to reduce the emissions caused by air travel if the proceeds went directly to environmental causes and supported sustainability (see article). The use of biofuels and carbon sinks were favoured by respondents as the best ways to reduce the environmental impacts of flying.

China Airlines is also the first in Taiwan to use sustainable aviation fuels since deliveries of new Airbus A350 aircraft were powered by blended SAF on ferry flights from Toulouse. READ MORE