Easyjet Show Off Their Green Credentials

easyJet are keen to show off their green credentials by launching "easyJet and the Environment" section on their website. Here they make three promises towards social responsibility and the environment, to be environmentally efficient in the air, on the ground, and to lead the aviation industry in shaping a greener future.

easyJet one of Europe's leading low-cost airlines has grown to servicing over 38 million passenger journeys annually, however their business structure, whilst based on cost minimisations, also reduces their footprint on the environment. They are one of the most environmentally efficient airlines and operate 137 of the cleanest, quietest aircraft available with an average age of just 2.3 years. easyJet’s efficient business model (higher seat densities and higher load factors) means that traditional airlines emit nearly 27% more emissions per passenger kilometre than easyJet flying the same aircraft on similar routes.

The easyJet carbon offsetting (“ECO”) scheme was launched last month. The easyJet Carbon Calculator will calculate every passenger’s emissions in a reliable and robust way, based on sector length, load factor and fuel burn. The airline expects the average contribution for a return journey to be around £3. This sum is added to the cost of the flights and paid for in one single transaction. easyJet will invest the money contributed by its passengers to buy CO2 emission credits from the Perlabi Hydroelectric Project in Ecuador, a UN approved Certified Emission Reduction scheme, acting on a not-for-profit basis. Citigroup, a leading financial services provider and a prospective project participant, will sell the credits from the Perlabi Hydroelectric Project directly to easyJet.

Emissions Per Passenger On Three easyJet flights;

• LTN (London Luton) - CDG (Paris) - 56kg CO2 (£0.73)
• BFS (Belfast International) - SFX (Berlin) - 102kg CO2 (£1.33)
• EDI (Edinburgh) - MAD (Madrid) - 149kg CO2 (£1.94)

"That's why easyJet's new offsetting scheme is a really positive step forward. We particularly welcome its exemplary decision to use only certified offset credits that meet Kyoto standards, meaning that its customers can be sure that the carbon reductions are real, clear and accountable. These are the same kind of credits the Government uses to offset its emissions from air travel and is in line with the standard we aim to set through the Government's upcoming Code of Best Practice for offsetting products and will give consumers the clarity they want when offsetting."
Hilary Benn, Environmental Secretary