Overcrowded plane, little leg room and no free drinks. It’s starting to look like the uncomfortable reality of global air travel for more and more passengers as airlines race to decarbonize.
The spartan cabins and hassle-free service of low-cost carriers appeared half a century ago, a makeover that made flying accessible to the masses. Since Southwest Airlines first flew out of Dallas in 1971, dozens of budget partners, including Ryanair, AirAsia and India’s IndiGo, have emerged to take on more expensive legacy carriers.
With global air travel almost fully recovered from the pandemic, reducing emissions is once again the #1 challenge for the industry. The low-cost, luxury business model that democratized air travel in recent decades has now become an unlikely model for reducing pollution.
That’s because low-cost airlines’ obsession with cutting weight to save fuel — by installing paper-thin seats, ripping out business-class thrones and ditching heavy-duty extras like alcohol and blankets — also produces the best metrics for emissions in the sky.
The world’s five least polluting airlines per passenger are low-cost carriers, according to data from carbon reduction consultancy Envest Global.
Wizz Air, the Hungary-based carrier that primarily serves Europe and the Middle East, leads the pack. Major airlines, including Delta Air Lines, Cathay Pacific Airways and British Airways, emit almost twice as many emissions for each passenger they carry, the data shows.
This is grim news for those accustomed to turning left while boarding their flights, the traditional route to spacious first-class seats. With a looming 2050 deadline for aviation to achieve carbon neutrality, the emissions figures suggest that airlines actually need to cram more passengers into their planes, give them less space and cut back on food and drink to make flying sustainably.
Since low-cost carriers began flying half a century ago, dozens of low-cost carriers, including AirAsia, have sprung up to take on more expensive legacy carriers. | Reuters
“This low-cost model is consistent with the central elements of a low-carbon strategy,” said Envest Global chief executive David Wills, who is based in Sydney. “Everything is designed to minimize fuel costs per passenger.”
Without an overhaul, aviation will not meet its mid-century emissions reduction goals. Its share of carbon dioxide production is expected to grow as other segments decarbonize – to an estimated 22% by 2050 from around 2% today if emissions are not reduced quickly enough. The aviation industry is “not on track” to reach its net-zero goal, the International Energy Agency website says.
Looming threats
Airlines that fail to take the necessary actions risk fines and stricter regulations. Fuel taxes are already being introduced in Europe, a jurisdiction leading efforts to make flying more environmentally friendly.
Seats in the business and first class sections of airplane cabins generate larger carbon footprints for their occupants because they take up more space and are heavier than economy sleepers.
For example, an economy class passenger flying from Hong Kong to Singapore on an Airbus A350 would emit 170 kilograms of emissions, according to the International Air Transport Association’s carbon calculator. The same journey in business class generates 682 kg. Traveling in a premium economy car produces 256 kg.
Ryanair in 2009 explored the idea of ripping apart the seats to create a standing cabin where more people could cram in. | Reuters
Every extra passenger that airlines can cram onto a plane and every kilogram they can take off the cabin helps reduce each customer’s individual carbon emissions.
Budget carriers have turned this ruthless science into an art form. Ryanair in 2009 explored the idea of ripping up the seats to create a standing cabin where more people could cram in. Before the pandemic, Philippine budget carrier Cebu Air relocated kitchens and bathrooms on some of its new Airbus A330neos to cram a record 460 seats. Low-cost carriers routinely equip planes with non-reclining seats, without entertainment screens, to reduce material weight.
Dirty flaw
It may be economical, but the movement of budget flights has also led to a boom in the demand for air travel due to the bargain fares.
Low-cost carriers were responsible for nearly 90% of the growth in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by US airlines between 2005 and 2019, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). Fuel efficiency improvements by low-cost carriers simply cannot keep up with passenger growth, ICCT said.
The challenge facing airlines, regulators and governments is to make greater use of the fuel efficiency of low-cost carriers and still maintain control over demand-driven emissions, according to the ICCT. Burning smaller amounts of dirty fuel is critical, as the aviation industry’s plan to switch to sustainable fuel is far from guaranteed. Current production capacity of this cleaner-burning energy source is just 1% of global aviation fuel needs, and passenger numbers are expected to double from 2019 to over 8 billion in two decades.
“How can we encourage more airlines to adopt low-cost carrier efficiency measures while ensuring that lower fares do not increase demand?” said Dan Rutherford, director of research at ICCT.
Demand for business class and premium economy seats has soared since the pandemic, in part because travelers with cash or loyalty points are enjoying their return to the skies. But the potential need for more austerity at 30,000 feet raises questions about the longevity and affordability of luxury air travel.
It’s time for more punitive measures, according to Rutherford. There is an “obvious” need for policies such as a frequent flyer tax or a price on carbon emissions, he said.