‘We’re committed to anti-carbon programme’ says Finnair chief executive Topi Manner
For sceptics, airlines and sustainability is a concept which just doesn’t fly. Accusations of ‘greenwashing’ are frequently made against an industry criticised for not grappling with difficult measures to address climate change.
No one underestimates the challenges we face as an industry tackling the environmental crisis or how important it is that we reduce CO2 emissions.
More: Finnair to axe inflight sales amid pledge ‘to banish’ carbon
But Finnair has been working hard to demonstrate that airlines can meet the needs of their customers while being responsible and operating sustainably.
That’s why we have committed to deliver the most ambitious anti-carbon programme in the aviation industry.
Our progressive steps unveiled this week will make a real contribution to CO2 reduction and meet Finnair’s aims to significantly reduce our environmental footprint.
Finnair intends to exceed industry targets. This will be achieved by drastically reducing net emissions by 50% from 2019 levels by the end of 2025 and by being carbon neutral at the latest by 2045.
We know this is an ambitious target. But we also know that with the proper steps in place we can begin the journey which will help consign carbon to history.
Investment in new aircraft and flying more efficiently will help reduce fuel burn.
Between now and 2025, Finnair will spend up to €4 billion on a new fleet, primarily on short-haul aircraft which will be more fuel efficient.
Once in service, they will reduce our European traffic carbon emissions by approximately 10% to 15%.
In a move away from fossil-fuels, Finnair is also investing in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through a partnership with Finnish-based Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable fuel refined from waste and residues.
We are committing to gradually increasing our spend on sustainable aviation fuels and estimate that by the end of 2025 our annual spend on SAF will be €10 million.
Until then, carbon offsetting provides the necessary time to develop new technological solutions and alternative fuels.
An international approach is vital and the EU Emissions trading scheme and the carbon offsetting and reduction scheme for international aviation (Corsia) play a key role.
To help meet Finnair’s stretch target of reducing CO2 emissions, we have also developed a plan which includes stringent weight reduction proposals to lighten the fuel load.
Reducing unnecessary weight on each aircraft means that from April 29 2020, Finnair will remove on-board travel retail sales from its short-haul EU flights.
This will reduce 50-100 kg of weight from each flight, resulting in a total decrease of 70 000 kg in fuel consumption per year, translating to 220 000 kg of CO2.
While plastics contribute towards lighter aircraft, Finnair is determined to end the scourge of single-use plastics. We are removing 230 tonnes of plastic from our flights every year. So far 80,000 kg has been removed. By the end of 2022 we will slash single-use plastics by 50%.
Plastic cutlery from our Economy cabin dining will be replaced with more eco-friendly alternatives, cutting 53,000 kgs of single-use plastics from our flights every year.
Action will also be taken to reduce food waste by 50% by the end of 2022, partially by encouraging customers to pre-order their meal choice before boarding.
To counter CO2 generated by meat production and to cater to changing tastes, we are planning to introduce more vegetarian meal options for customers, both in the air and on the ground in our network of lounges.
On the ground we will use renewable energy in our non-flight operations, such as for vehicles and heating.
We believe this will enable us to achieve carbon neutrality in our non-flight operations by the end of 2022.
However, all of this will only be achieved if we as an airline – and as an industry – work together with all our stakeholders, from customers to employees to suppliers. Everyone and everything counts on this journey.
We want to encourage innovation at every level. Together we can create a sustainable future that inspires others in the airline industry and helps protect our world.