Thomas Cook Group Airlines cut its carbon emissions last year with the introduction of lightweight seats and trolleys on board its fleet.
The group’s carriers have reduced carbon emissions by 385,000 tonnes since 2008 – enough to power 53,000 homes for one year, according to the Thomas Cook Group annual sustainability report.
The travel group says it is on track to meet a 2020 sustainability target of a 12% improvement in fuel efficiency. Airline fuel efficiency has improved by 5.6% since 2009.
The introduction of new lightweight trolleys in 2014 saved an estimated 250 kg per flight – equivalent to the weight of an average car for every four flights, lightening the onboard load and improving fuel efficiency.
The trolleys are in place on all Condor flights in Germany and have been introduced across aircraft in UK and Northern Europe.
This includes 1,564 trolleys and 1,037 half sized trolleys on the 31-strong fleet operated by Thomas Cook Airlines in the UK.
New lightweight seats have also been introduced as part of a wider £100 million investment in upgrading cabin interiors across the fleet.
The new seats save an average 300kg per flight, as well as providing improved passenger comfort through innovative ergonomic design.
Thomas Cook Group Airlines claims to already have the lowest carbon emissions in Europe. Carbon emissions per passenger kilometre are 71.5 kg – significantly below the 126g Co2 per km travelled for an average UK car and the 93.11g carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre emitted on average for the five largest European airlines.
Other measures to reduce emissions include the introduction of “winglets” on aircraft – wing tips to improve aerodynamics and maximise fuel efficiency.
The group is also trialling different coatings and paints to the exterior of its aircraft which may also improve aerodynamics.
Group head of government affairs and sustainability Anna Campopiano said: “We’re pleased to be helping millions of holiday makers to enjoy greener holidays.
“The new light weight seats and trolleys have combined with initiatives including smarter route planning and more efficient flight techniques to cut our greenhouse gas emissions and we expect that to accelerate as we move closer to hitting our 2020 targets.”
Thomas Cook Group Airlines comprises Thomas Cook Airlines UK, Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium, Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia and Condor, which together carry 16.5 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of 88 aircraft.