Airline Sustainability: easyJet Shows It’s Possible
Airlines typically aren’t the first actors that come to mind when it comes to sustainability. After all, domestic flights alone are the UK’s biggest source of transportation emissions, releasing 270 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make air travel greener. Even budget airlines are conducting multiple initiatives to reduce the aviation industry’s environmental impact.
Of those operating in the UK, one name stands out in this regard: easyJet. The airline is primarily known for offering cheap flights both in the country and around Europe. Using its low fare finder, travellers can easily find the most affordable tickets to the holiday destination of their choice, which they can select from a list that reaches from Turkey in the east to Iceland in the west. Yet the brand goes beyond making travel more accessible by implementing a holistic strategy that tackles sustainability from multiple angles.
Here’s more on easyJet’s sustainability initiatives—and how they prove airlines can do their part for the environment and provide affordable offerings, all without significantly impacting their bottom line.
Offsetting carbon emissions
Given the aviation industry’s significant carbon footprint, offsetting emissions is one of the main ways airlines can mitigate their impact. That’s why it’s no surprise that this strategy is part of easyJet’s overall drive for sustainability. In 2023, it became the first company in the world to sign up for commercial aircraft manufacturer Airbus’ innovative carbon removal solution. This uses Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage technology to directly decarbonise the air using extraction fans. By investing in this programme, easyJet is aiding the development of truly zero-carbon aircraft.
Testing sustainable fuels
Direct decarbonisation isn’t the only method easyJet uses to reach its zero-carbon goals. It also tests sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) through its founding membership in the Hydrogen in Aviation (HIA) alliance—alongside major names like Airbus and Rolls-Royce. The HIA is dedicated to working with the UK government to find aviation applications for hydrogen fuel using the expertise of energy company Ørsted and automotive industry leader GKN Aerospace. Ultimately, the alliance aims to promote hydrogen fuel as a renewable SAF that doesn’t emit carbon when burned.
Yet despite the significant investments the company is putting towards realising this innovation—and the fact that SAFs are still not at scale and are currently up to five times more expensive than traditional fuel—its ticket prices remain unaffected. According to CEO Johan Lundgren, that’s because the company believes the hefty cost of decarbonisation efforts shouldn’t fall upon the consumer. By supporting the rapid development of hydrogen fuel through the HIA, it aims to streamline the switch to this SAF and more immediately benefit from its cost savings, allowing easyJet to remain an affordable airline without the transition impacting its revenue.
Reducing waste
easyJet’s sustainability efforts reach beyond its aircraft, their engines, and the fuel they use—they ensure greener efforts on board, as well. After a successful trial period, it announced a pioneering initiative that pledged to have its 14,000-strong staff of pilots and crew members use renewable cups and cutlery on domestic and international flights. The move aims to cut down the disposal of over 10 million single-use items a year. Rollout of these items along with staff uniforms across easyJet’s entire network concluded in January 2024, and it’s helped the company work toward broader goals to lower its overall environmental impact without significantly affecting the customer experience.
Empowering sustainable holiday choices
Beyond its status as a budget airline, easyJet is also known for offering affordable package holidays. It partners with hotels and resorts in the destinations it flies to, allowing customers to pay a single upfront cost to enjoy a complete travel experience. The company’s sustainability initiatives extend here, as well. In 2023, it connected with food waste solutions company Winnow to implement an AI-powered solution at one of its most popular partner hotels: the famous Tenerife resort Bahia Principe Sunlight Costa Adeje. On average, sustainable kitchens that use Winnow’s technology halve food waste in as little as a year and cut food costs by 2-8%, meaning this partnership afforded easyJet both environmental and financial sustainability.
Later in the year, the airline teamed up with the startup BeCause to improve data management at a larger number of its partner hotels. The software collects data on establishments that comply with standards from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, then integrates that information into the existing easyJet system. That means travellers who wish to book an affordable holiday deal on the company’s website can quickly check a hotel or resort’s sustainability certifications—so it’s even easier for eco-minded holiday-goers to make sustainable choices. Both these initiatives seamlessly connect to easyJet’s flight offerings, allowing the airline to reduce its overall environmental impact from takeoff to touchdown and beyond.
At first glance, the airline industry’s carbon footprint seems difficult to reform—but budget carrier easyJet exemplifies that it can be done without affecting the customer experience or even its own bottom line. With the company proving what’s possible, it’s no surprise it was awarded top marks for its sustainability efforts in February 2024.
