Airlines play a role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by utilizing winds. According to a new study, airlines could significantly reduce their fuel consumption and the resulting carbon dioxide emissions if the aircraft they use become more efficient in flying with the winds.
Scientists at the University of Reading stated in a study published this week that commercial flights between New York and London during the winter of 2019-2020 could have used up to 16% less fuel if pilots had fully taken advantage of the air currents and strong winds. The lead author of the study, Kathy Wells, a PhD researcher in the university's mathematics department, explained: "By adopting a more flexible routing system, we can actually reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft used in transatlantic flights by millions of kilograms each year." Co-author Professor Paul Williams mentioned that waiting for more efficient aircraft to be produced and developed might take decades, so he suggested that selecting flight paths that better exploit jet streams and strong winds could significantly reduce emissions, and this is seen as a relatively cheaper and better solution.
It is important to note that the aviation industry added over one billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere in 2019, while emissions have since declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting halt in airlines and air traffic worldwide. However, this decrease is likely temporary and could rise again over time.
