Flight Emissions Label

How are the impacts calculated?

Data is gathered from airlines

First, flight information is collected from airlines. This includes the specific routes they fly, the type of aircraft used and information about the seating arrangements on board. Passengers and cargo figures, fuel use, and flight schedule data is also collected. This information is checked for any errors and, once done, is accepted to form the basis of calculations for the Flight Emissions Label.

In the rare cases where direct data is not available, such as when a new flight destination is started or a new aircraft type is used, EASA will combine secondary data and make relevant estimations based on it. For instance, if an airline starts a new route, estimates from similar routes and aircraft types may be used. These are always validated to ensure that the Flight Emissions Label can produce a reliable result.

Carbon footprint and efficiency are calculated

Translating the vast datasets collected into measures of flight environmental performance involves multiple calculations. One of them consists of converting the fuel used into a carbon dioxide emissions equivalent or CO2eq.

Since passenger flights often carry cargo in the hold underneath the cabin, the resulting total flight emissions are allocated between passengers and cargo load.

Two key features of the Flight Emissions Label are estimated at this step: the passenger Carbon footprint and the flights Carbon efficiency

Fuel type is accounted for

Next, the shares of both conventional and alternative aviation fuels used are accounted for in order to quantify the reduction in carbon emissions coming from lower carbon fuels. This step highlights the substantial environmental impact of the fuel choices made by airlines. Emissions depend not only on the quantity of alternative fuels used but also on how much lower their lifecycle emissions are.

Class is considered

Finally, an adjustment is made based on the cabin seating class. Flying in a specific class (e.g Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First) may have varying impacts due to differences in seat characteristics and space taken up in the cabin. This means that a passenger flying in First Class for example will typically have a higher footprint than one in Economy Class.

Label data gets verified

With all the data collected and calculations made, a final validation is done to ensure accuracy. The results obtained are analysed before using them for calculations, for example looking at any outliers or unexpected results to detect data reporting errors. This thorough validation process ensures that the Label data is reliable and accurately reflects the impact of each flight. The Labels then get distributed to participating airlines.

What is the difference between CO2 and CO2 equivalent?

CO2 equivalents (CO2eq) standardise the warming impact of the different greenhouse gases into the equivalent amount of CO2 that would cause the same warning effect, allowing for aggregation of the total greenhouse gas effect. Examples of greenhouse gases include methane and nitrous oxide. For reference, the aviation fuel baseline for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is 89 grams of CO2eq per megajoule (gCO2eq/MJ).

This figure consists of 76 g during jet fuel combustion (tank-to-wake, or TTW) and 13 g accounting for emissions from processing and transportation (well to tank, or WTT). The 89 g of total lifecycle emissions are referred to as Well-to-wake (WTW).

What does the Label not cover?

The impacts to local airport communities such as emissions of nitrous oxides (NOx), fine particles (nvPM), and noise are not currently under the scope of the Flight Emissions Label.

EASA certifies aircraft to ensure the aircraft meet international standards and is working together with EU authorities on how to best incorporate these impacts into future initiatives. For more information regarding local air quality and noise please refer to Noise and Air quality.

Is a full flight a more efficient flight?

Yes. A full flight is indeed more efficient. If the seats on an aircraft are fully occupied, the fuel consumption per passenger is lower compared to a half-empty flight for example. This is similar to the concept of carpooling, where sharing a ride with more people reduces the individual environmental impact. By filling up all the seats, airlines are also maximising the efficiency of each flight, ensuring that the carbon footprint per passenger is lower. This means that a flight that is usually booked nearly full is a more emission-optimised choice for travellers.

Various data sources are used to estimate the load factor, which is the percentage of available seating capacity that is filled with passengers. This estimation is crucial for determining the efficiency of a flight and is kept confidential, due to its commercial sensitivity. By collecting and identifying trends in the reported data under the Flight Emissions Label, EASA helps participating airlines highlight those flights that maximise seat capacity use and minimise passengers carbon footprint.

What about cargo?

Many flights, particularly long-haul, will usually transport cargo as well as passengers and their luggage. While they are typically transported in separate sections of the aircraft; passenger cabin and cargo hold, they are both payload - the amount of weight an aircraft can transport and still be able to take off. This means that even though they are accounted for separately and often do not use the same space, cargo and passengers are both treated equally in terms of their weight in the Flight Emissions Label.

Within the Flight Emissions Label, the calculation of flight emissions includes both cabin and freight emissions. Cabin emissions are the portion of emissions attributed to passengers, while freight emissions are related to the cargo carried. When more passengers are on board, the cabin emissions per passenger decrease, making the flight more efficient. Similarly, when cargo is maximised, the freight emissions per tonne are reduced. This balance between passengers and cargo helps in optimising the overall efficiency of the flight.

Does class matter?

The cabin class is defined as both a distinct level of onboard service and often also a separate seat accommodation offered to passengers, which is reflected in the seats in the cabin and additional amenities taken and offered on board the aircraft.

These differences not only affect the passenger experience but also their individual footprint. For example, the area allocated for each seat in Business or First class is significantly larger, which means that the aircraft’s overall seating capacity is reduced. This, combined with the increased weight of the seats used in these cabins, contributes to higher emissions on a per-passenger basis.

In the context of the Flight Emissions Label, these factors often account for the differences in calculated emissions associated with each class, including Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First Class. Making this information available is part of the mission of the Flight Emissions Label, as it seeks to help passengers make informed decisions about their travel options.

Does the data get verified?

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency will always verify data reported for the calculations behind the Flight Emissions Label by collaborating with various organisations, including national authorities and external verifiers. EASA will further conduct validation of the provided data to ensure flights are labeled based on realistic projected performance based on real-world observations.

Given the commercial sensitivity of some data reported by airlines, EASA will give top priority to data privacy, security and anonymity. This consideration will be integral to the systems used for reporting, storing, analysing, and communicating the information. The aim is for this to also encourage more airlines to participate, aircraft operators and passengers an even better overview of the environmental performance of different flights.

Who makes sure the Label is up to date?

The Flight Emissions Label will be valid for a specific period according to established flight scheduling periods (also called Summer and Winter schedule in airline terminology) and will be updated with a frequency that both allows airlines to retain the Label score for a reasonable amount of time and for any improvements in environmental performance to be reflected in the next period.