Sustainability In The Air

In this episode, we talk to SkyTeam Alliance’s CEO Patrick Roux, who outlines the alliance’s role in enabling airlines’ net zero journey. He also discusses The Sustainable Flight Challenge, SkyTeam’s groundbreaking initiative to promote sustainable innovations, and how sustainability can be an integral part of customer experience. We’ll also learn about the importance of collaboration among airlines to achieve sustainability, the evolving customer experience driven by environmental consciousness, the necessity to adapt despite varying regulatory pressures, and the value of sharing innovations and best practices.If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversation we had with Star Alliance CEO Jeffrey Goh, who shared how the alliance is supporting airlines in stepping up their sustainability game, including efforts such as inter-modal partnerships, a sustainability summit, investment in SAF and more. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Note: This episode is a part of our SkyTeam special series. In this series, we will highlight SkyTeam member airlines participating in The Sustainable Flight Challenge, and bringing sustainability into flight operations today. Links & More:Sustainable Flight Challenge - SkyTeamImpact of TSFC - SkyTeam SAUDIA participates in SkyTeam’s Sustainable Flight Challenge 2023 in joint effort to make aviation cleaner - Bloomberg Kenya Airways operates its most sustainable boeing 787 flight yet - Simple Flying DB becomes first intermodal partner of the Star Alliance - Railway News How Star Alliance is facilitating a net-zero future in aviation - SimpliFlying

In this episode, we talk to Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability OfficerVice President, at Delta Air Lines. She shares how the next frontier of sustainability is collaboration – not only from collaboration with their SkyTeam airline partners, but also in how it shows up in other spheres whether they’re on the ground or in the air. We’ll also learn about Delta’s single-minded focus on tracking customer preferences and linking them to sustainability; the airline’s efforts to run on 10% SAF by 2030; the aggressive campaign to discard single-use plastics and reduce waste; a unique collaboration with MIT to explore the reduction of airplane contrails; and, of course, the first-of-its-kind Sustainable Skies Lab that seeks to create a space for various stakeholders and innovators to collaborate and realise the future of sustainability. If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversation we had with Holly Boyd-Boland, Virgin Atlantic’s VP Corporate Development and Sustainability. She shares how the airline is preparing to conduct their historic 100% SAF flight and using SAF and other pathways to net zero by 2050. Check it out here.Reach out to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Note: This episode is a part of our SkyTeam special series. In this series, we will highlight SkyTeam member airlines participating in The Sustainable Flight Challenge, and bringing sustainability into flight operations today. Links and more:Delta Ups onboard sustainability with eco-friendly soft products - Simple FlyingClean Skies for Tomorrow leaders: 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2030 - World Economic Forum Delta signs SAF agreement with Gevo - Biomass Magazine California Legislature passes bill to achieve 20% SAF use by 2030 - Biobased Diesel Fort Worth’s Aero Design Labs aims to help Delta Air Lines save fuel, reduce carbon emissions with 'Drag Reduction Kits' - Dallas Innovates  Delta to work with MIT to study impact of airplane contrails on climate - Phys Org Delta Airlines and Joby outline a seamless, sustainable eVTOL passenger experience - APEXDelta Air Lines pushes towards net zero emissions with Sustainable Skies Lab - ForbesVirgin Atlantic’s 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel gambit - SimpliFlying

Later this year, Virgin Atlantic will conduct the world’s first net zero transatlantic flight powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). If all goes well, it could set the stage for much cleaner flying by the end of this decade.In this episode, we talk to Holly-Boyd Boland, Virgin Atlantic’s VP Corporate Development and Sustainability. She shares how Virgin Atlantic is preparing to conduct the historic flight with its partners and the existing regulatory and technical challenges with procuring, producing and using SAF. We’ll also learn about the importance of studying the impact of contrails on the climate; the potential of carbon capture technology; Virgin Atlantic's corporate SAF programme; their in-flight sustainability initiatives and much more.If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversation we had with Sheila Remes, Boeing’s Vice President of Environmental Sustainability, who shared how the airframer is collaborating with industry stakeholders – such as Virgin Atlantic – to move aviation towards its 2050 net zero goal. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:[2008] Boeing, Virgin Atlantic and GE Aviation to Fly First Commercial Jet on Biofuel - Boeing Newsroom World’s first net zero transatlantic flight to fly from London in 2023 - GOV.UK Virgin Atlantic purchases 10 million gallons of SAF from Gevo - Biofuels International Magazine Virgin Group plans to use low-carbon fuel made from plastic waste - The Independent Airlines and others collaborate to study contrails - Travel Weekly Protecting our planet - Virgin Atlantic Reducing, reusing and recycling - Virgin Atlantic Virgin Atlantic launches corporate SAF programme - Business Travel News Europe  Boeing’s Sheila Remes in conversation with Shashank Nigam - SimpliFlying 

Carbon offsetting is a frequently used solution for mitigating excessive emissions, especially in aviation. The solution however, is not without its fair share of controversies.In this episode, we talk to CarbonClick’s Vice President of Enterprise Product & Strategic Partnerships, Seth Horowitz. He shares how the carbon offsets, when used carefully, can be an asset to aviation. As an industry leader in managing and implementing transparent offsetting programs, CarbonClick helps individuals and top global airlines reduce pollution while restoring nature. However, Horowitz emphasises that offsetting must be used as the last step mitigation strategy, only after every other reduction methodology has been exhausted. We’ll also learn about Horowitz’s thoughts on the recent controversy and criticisms of carbon offsetting; how CarbonClick verifies and selects projects; the offsetting technology platform that the company provides to airlines and eCommerce companies; individual responsibility towards the environment and why intentional flying is the way forward.If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversation we had with Tony Douglas, Group CEO of Etihad, who shares his thoughts on Etihad’s carbon offsetting programme and how the airline is paving the way for the entire industry to move a step closer to net-zero. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Full disclosure: CarbonClick is a co-sponsor of the Sustainability in the Air podcast Season 3 and has been the sole sponsor for Seasons 1 and 2.Links & More:Airport and Airline Carbon Offsetting Solution for Bookings - CarbonClickThe Carbon Con – How offsetting claims are vastly inflated - Source Material Carbon offsets are in the news again. What should you do? - SimpliFlying The Gold Standard  Etihad Airways boosts carbon offset programme  Tony Douglas, Etihad Airways CEO, in conversation with Shashank Nigam - SimpliFlying 

Aircraft are the heart of aviation. Making efficient and greener aircraft is possibly the most effective way to cut the industry’s carbon emissions. In this episode, we talk to Embraer’s President & CEO Arjan Meijer and Vice President of Marketing and Strategy Rodrigo Silva e Souza. They share how the aircraft manufacturer is on a mission to decarbonise regional aviation through a mix of innovative technologies.At the heart of Embraer’s sustainability roadmap is their regional air mobility (RAM) and urban air mobility (UAM) strategy. Underpinned by their Energia hybrid-electric and hydrogen-electric aircraft and Eve Air Mobility’s eVTOLs, Embraer is placing its bets on decarbonising shortest-haul travel first. We’ll also learn about why planes cannot entirely be replaced by trains; the sustainability outlook for business jets; how Embraer built the world’s quietest narrowbody aircraft; the ways in which in-cabin improvements can enhance sustainability; Embraer’s plan for carbon neutral operations by 2040 and net zero by 2050.If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversation we had with Airbus’ Amanda Simpson about how the airframer is at the forefront of investing in new technologies and innovations, chief among them being hydrogen. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:Embraer - The shape of things to come, new sustainable aircraft concepts revealed Concepts - Embraer Commercial Aviation Sustainability Demonstrators and customer feedback at heart of Embraer’s Energia roadmap - Flight Global What Is New With Embraer's Energia Family Concept? - Simple Flying A look at Eve’s eVTOL aircraft as it targets type certification in late 2025 - Vertical Schiphol eliminating all overnight flights and private flights by the end of 2025 - NL Times Inside Embraer - How The E2 Became The Quietest Jet - Simple Flying Embraer commits to carbon neutral operations by 2040 - Aviation Benefits Embraer, Raízen partnership to stimulate production of sustainable aviation fuel - Biobased Diesel Embraer sets new target for 100% green electricity in Brazil - Airport Technology 

As one of the world’s most visionary resort developers, Red Sea Global wants to show that there is a better way to positively shape the places in which we live, work and travel.In this episode, we talk to John Pagano, CEO at Red Sea Global. He shares how the company is creating brand new eco-tourism destinations that will allow you to travel not just net-zero, but true climate positive.By re-thinking the entire model of what tourism can be — and should be — in the future, Red Sea Global is on a mission to prove that good business can go hand-in-hand with a greener planet. As Pagano says, we know what we’ve done wrong in the past, and we know the reasons for the current climate and ecological crisis. And it’s up to us to not repeat those mistakes.We’ll also learn about setting the ecological ceiling to preserve the environment, how Red Sea Global is going 100% renewable by building the world's largest microgrid and battery storage systems; how to use data to increase the net conservation value; and why transparency is the key to setting and achieving goals.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Universal Hydrogen’s John-Paul Clarke on how hydrogen can be a game-changer in clean transportation, especially aviation. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:Responsible Development by Red Sea GlobalAbout the Red Sea Project and AmaalaWorld’s largest battery storage facilityRed Sea Global - Sustainability Report 2022Climate change: The IPCC just published its summary of 5 years of reports – here's what you need to know 

As the industry leader in aviation analytics, Cirium assists the aviation industry in predicting future trends through its rich datasets that date back to 1947 and cover over 400,000 aircraft!In this episode, we talk to Jeremy Bowen, CEO at Cirium. He shares how the company is empowering the industry to reach a more sustainable future with the most accurate aircraft emissions data.Cirium has a wealth of data that airlines can use today. Their highly-accurate Global Aircraft Emissions Monitor is a valuable starting point for any airline that wants to seriously plan emissions reduction – and, eventually, hit net zero. After all, without the data to measure current baselines, any effort to go green will be a shot in the dark.  We’ll also learn about the complex data set underlying the emissions calculator; how Cirium ensures their data is transparent, independent of bias and validated; why the future of corporate travel may include carbon budgets; and how one company switched a large corporate travel account from one airline to another based on carbon efficiency considerations.If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversation we had with International Council on Clean Transportation’s Dan Rutherford on the data behind sustainability and the trajectory airlines and governments need to follow to get to net-zero emissions. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:Cirium Sustainability The On-Time Performance Review 2022 - CiriumGlobal Aircraft Emissions Monitor – CiriumThe most accurate flight emissions data is now available via Cirium Sky - CiriumTravel Smart Campaign    

eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) or ‘air taxis’ refer to aircraft that use electric power to take off and land vertically, and are particularly useful in urban areas afflicted with traffic congestion.In this episode, we talk to Adam Goldstein, CEO and Founder at Archer Aviation. He shares how the company focuses on designing and developing eVTOLs, which they believe will “unlock the skies” and enable everyone to reimagine how they live, travel and manage time. Goldstein says these vehicles – which can carry four passengers and a pilot – will not only change the way people move but also allow people to get a lot of time back. “Imagine the trips that you've been taking in your car – it would take you 60, 90, even 120 minutes of sitting in traffic. But you could instead fly to your destination in five or 10 minutes”, he asserts. Such a future is actually closer than we think. Archer aims to get its aircraft certified by the end of 2024 and, along with its partner United Airlines, will begin commercial eVTOL flights in 2025.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with United Airlines’ Scott Kirby on how the airline is pushing the sustainability envelope. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:Report: The Urban Air Mobility Power List - SimpliFlyingThe underlying eVTOL technology - Archer United Airlines' Future eVTOL Revealed: The Archer Midnight - Simple Flying Archer Aviation plans to build 250 air taxis in 2025 - Reuters Archer lands $1B order from United Airlines and a SPAC deal - TechCrunch United partners with Archer to accelerate production of advanced eVTOL aircraft - Future Travel ExperienceArcher Aviation Nears Completion of Its First Build, Midnight - Investing.comArcher Aviation begins construction of manufacturing facility - Flight Global Stellantis to mass produce Archer’s electric aircraft in expanded deal - TechCrunch 

As the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, Airbus is in a unique position to drive aviation towards a zero-emission future.  In this episode, we talk to Amanda Simpson, Vice President for Research & Technology (Americas) at Airbus. She shares how the airframer is at the forefront of investing in new technologies and innovations that pioneer the sustainability spirit, chief among them being hydrogen.Simpson says that over the past decade Airbus has tried a variety of different technologies and the company now firmly believes that hydrogen has the potential to offer a true clean fuel solution. We’ll learn about Airbus’ marquee ZEROe programme that includes as many as three concept aircraft of varying ranges and capacities that will run on hydrogen and could enter service by 2035. We’ll also learn about the role of sustainable aviation fuel, infrastructure challenges with hydrogen, the necessity of clean-sheet design and why hydrogen is more exciting than hydrogen-electric and all-electric designs.If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with WIZZ Air’s Yvonne Moynihan on how the airline is using the latest Airbus aircraft to reduce emissions. Check it out here.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:Airbus ZEROe programmeThe ZEROe demonstrator - AirbusInterview with John-Paul Clarke, Co-Founder of Universal Hydrogen - Sustainability in the AirInterview with Val Miftakhov, CEO of ZeroAvia - Sustainability in the AirUniversal Hydrogen takes to the air with the largest hydrogen fuel cell ever to fly - TechCrunch Airbus prepares for its first megawatt-class hydrogen fuel-cell engine flight-test demonstrator Hydrogen for aircraft: number crunching the solution, or the hoax - Hydrogen Science Coalition

Did you know that Air Company is using thin air to make sustainable aviation fuel, vodka, perfume, sanitiser and more? In this episode, we talk to Gregory Constantine, Co-Founder and CEO of  Air Company, who believes that the path to a sustainable future lies – quite literally – in the air. He shares how the company uses the planet’s most abundant pollutant and turns it into a never-ending resource.We’ll learn how Air Company’s patented carbon utilisation technology aims to free us from over a century-long dependency on fossil fuels by mimicking photosynthesis to utilise CO2 to produce sustainable alcohols and fuel. Their goal is to apply their technology across all possible industries: from the fragrances we wear everyday, to the jet fuel that moves us around the world. Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.Links & More:Carbon Capture Technology: CO2 Conversion & Utilization - Air Company Air Vodka: The 100 Best Inventions of 2020 - TIMETAKE-OFF Consortium EUAir Company Awarded Additional NASA Funding  This jet fuel was made by sucking carbon out of the air - Fast Company Report: The Carbon Removal Power List - SimpliFlying