You may have heard about eco-driving, but do you know about eco-piloting? Just like in a car, there are good piloting practices in the cockpit that can reduce fuel consumption. This is one of the many avenues explored by the Air France group (which includes Air France, KLM and Transavia) to reduce the carbon impact of its activity.

In 2022, the group presented its ACT program, defining its strategy to reduce its CO2 emissions. It is based on three pillars: reducing direct emissions (generated by flights), reducing indirect emissions (generated by the activity of airlines, upstream and downstream of flights), and contributing to projects that enable carbon to be stored: this is what is known as "carbon offsetting". The objective of this program is to reduce CO2 emissions per passenger-kilometer by 30% by 2030, compared to 2019.

The fleet

The Air France group is working on several fronts to achieve its objective. One of the most important levers is of course the aircraft! A few months ago, Air France received its twentieth A350-900. These new generation aircraft are particularly innovative. Lighter, they consume less fuel than their predecessors (about a quarter less, to reach 2.5 liters per passenger per 100 kilometers). CO2 emissions from flights are also reduced by 25%. As a bonus, they also make less noise! Although they represent only 7% of the fleet today (A350 and A220, the other good performer, combined), Air France is deploying an investment plan of one billion euros per year to reach 70% of new generation aircraft in its fleet by 2030.

Fuels

Particular attention is also being paid to fuels, and the use of "Sustainable Aviation Fuels" - i.e. non-fossil fuels, abbreviated to SAF - is growing. These include used oil, agricultural waste and synthetic fuel oil. While they emit as much CO2 in flight as conventional fuel, they are more virtuous over their entire life cycle. Air France currently uses 1% Sustainable Aviation Fuel on its flights out of France. By 2030, the airline aims to use 10% of this fuel on all its flights, rising to 63% by 2050. Last May, Air France carried out two test flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle: one to Montreal (in A350s), and the other to Lisbon (in A220s). Both flights were fuelled with 16% CAD for the flight to Montreal, and 30% for the flight to Lisbon: CO2 emissions were reduced by 50% on these two flights. Encouraging!

Eco-piloting

Beyond the characteristics of the aircraft, the way they are flown is also a point to look at. This is called "operations optimization". This consists in taking the most direct routes possible, and adjusting altitude and speed in real time to the conditions of the day. For example, flight paths are optimized using artificial intelligence, and pilots opt for continuous descent, in close collaboration with air traffic control... These initiatives involve both flight crews and airport staff, and result in an average reduction of 2 to 3% in CO2 emissions.

On board

The Air France group is fighting against waste on its meal trays: by gradually proposing a pre-selection of dishes before the flight (especially today in the Business cabin on long-haul flights), it ensures that passengers are offered things to their taste. This avoids half-eaten dishes and stock errors. Air France has also eliminated 90% of single-use plastics compared to 2018. On board and in its lounges, Air France tries to favor local and seasonal products.

Carbon offsetting

As part of its CSR policy, the Air France group is seeking to finance environmentally friendly projects. Through a partnership with the specialized consulting firm EcoAct, Air France supports projects to combat deforestation in Brazil, restore mangroves in Martinique and develop renewable energy in India. The group also offers its passengers the opportunity to finance reforestation programs or to contribute to the development of sustainable aviation fuels when they buy a ticket.