Air France pledges to invest 2 billion euros annually to reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions and aircraft noise
Spinetta signs Environmental Summit Convention
Mon 28 Jan 2008 – Following a French Environmental Summit meeting, Jean-Cyril Spinetta, Chairman and CEO of the Air France KLM Group, has announced that Air France will invest 2 billion euros (nearly $3 billion) annually until 2020 in meeting environmental targets to reduce fuel consumption, lower CO2 emissions and reduce aircraft noise levels.
Spinetta made the announcement after the signing of the Environmental Summit Convention with other key French aviation players and Jean-Louis Borloo, French minister for the environment and sustainable development.
The airline will pursue a fleet modernization strategy that will enable the airline to:
·reduce jet fuel consumed per standard passenger to 3.70 litres per 100km flown by 2012;
·lower the CO2 emissions on flights to its French overseas territories by 20% and on domestic flights by 5% over the next five years; and
·reduce aircraft noise levels below those attained in 2005.
Spinetta reiterated the Group’s support for the inclusion of air transport in the European Union’s Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS), as long as it was “equitable” and there was no unfair competition with regard to non-European airlines.
The airline also committed to cooperate with aviation organizations in optimizing flight procedures such as continuous descent approaches, invest in cleaner airport ground services equipment, support research projects and implement a passenger carbon offset programme.
European flag carrier rival British Airways has announced its own target to improve aircraft fuel efficiency by 25% by 2025 and has also come out in qualified support of the EU ETS.