American Airlines Win Award for Most Eco-Friendly Airline

American CEO said that the carrier will "continue leading the industry in sustainability at all levels"

People are increasingly asking how to travel sustainably and less damaging to the environment. Although price and schedule are still the most important factors in purchasing airline tickets, there are more eco-friendly options available. American Airlines is the most eco-friendly airline that you can fly with in 2023, according to Air Transport World (ATW).

The main goals of the aviation industry moving forward are sustainability and decarbonization, despite the difficulties of the pandemic. It can sometimes be hard to distinguish between announcements and actual impacts. Airlines are shifting from wishing scenarios to interim targets with achievable goals.

Although there are some issues with consistency in CO2 emissions estimates, it is clear that there are certain routes to reduce greenhouse gasses in airline operations. The majority of the industry agrees that there is no magic bullet, and that net zero will require an "and" approach rather than an "or".

Robert Isom, American's Chief Executive Officer said:

"American is actively incorporating sustainability at every level of our business, from the fuel we buy to the food we serve our customers. And our all-the-above approach is just getting started. As Eco-Airline of the Year, we will continue to lead the industry as an innovator in this space and affirm our unyielding commitment to build an American Airlines that will thrive forever."

A panel of analysts and editors from ATW, Routes and Aviation Week selected the award.

American was the first airline to be approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), for its intermediate carbon emission reduction goal. It is now certified to be in compliance with the Paris Agreement's goal to keep global warming below 1.5 degree Celsius. SBTi is currently reviewing a target to reduce carbon intensity by at least 45% by 2035, as compared to a baseline of 2019.

American is not the largest investor in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), but it is the most important consumer. In 2022, the airline used 2 million gallons of SAF and increased its use year-over-year. A total of more than 620,000,000 gallons are covered by agreements with Neste, Gevo and Aemetis.

Fleet renewal is another notable effort, supported by large orders for the A321neo, 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner. The airline has seen a significant improvement in fuel efficiency since 2013. Today, half of America's mainline carrier fleet are less than 10 years old.

Smart gating is another initiative that improves fuel efficiency. Smart gating optimizes gate assignments in congested airports. It is currently being used at Miami-International Airports, Charlotte Douglas and Dallas-Forth Worth. This saves the carrier 1.4 million gallons fuel and 13,500 tons CO2 each year, according to their estimates.

Source: simpleflying.com