Heathrow Airport announced the plan by British Airways parent company IAG to offset carbon emissions for all its UK domestic flights from 2020, becoming the first airline group worldwide to commit to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The airport announced it will kick-start a new trial turning unrecyclable plastic passenger waste – including food packaging and plastic film – into airport furniture, uniforms and lower-emission jet fuel by 2025.
Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye attended the UN Climate Summit in New York and announced Heathrow would join the World Economic Forum’s new ‘Clean Skies for Tomorrow Coalition’ aimed at helping the sector achieve carbon-neutral flying, while also welcoming the Committee on Climate Change recommendation for government to include aviation in the UK’s net zero emissions target by 2050.
Virgin Atlantic announced plans to open over 80 new routes from an expanded Heathrow, helping to create a second flag carrier at the UK’s hub airport in a move that will increase competition and improve passenger choice.
Following the close of Heathrow’s 12-week statutory consultation on the preferred masterplan for expansion, polling showed that more local residents support the project than oppose it in 16 out of the 18 Parliamentary constituencies around Heathrow.
Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye, said:
“Heathrow is committed to achieving net zero emissions in aviation and is working to decarbonise airport operations as quickly as possible. IAG’s announcement of net zero emissions from flight by 2050 shows that the aviation sector as a whole can decarbonise and protect the benefits of global travel and trade. We will work with them to achieve this and call on other airlines to follow their lead.”
