According to the BBC, a software glitch paralyzed airlines around the world over the third weekend of July, leaving hundreds of thousands of customers stranded.
Now, some of these major airlines are having to foot the bill for hundreds of millions of dollars in refunds and refunds, with Delta Air Lines in particular facing up to $500 million in related costs, according to CBS News.
While flights have resumed on major airlines, a new “flight cancellation crisis” has emerged on July 25 when environmental activists in Germany “launched a coordinated effort to disrupt air travel across Europe,” according to NBC News.
This massive disruption provided a temporary reprieve from the pollution of air travel. Moreover, the flight cancellation crisis served as a reminder of just how fragile the air travel system really is.
All this combined raises a lot of questions: Should our current flight system continue? Can we make it sustainable if we leave it as is? If we do, what will happen?
Fly high and beautiful: is it possible?
No, not completely, but the aviation industry could be a lot cleaner than it is now.
According to FlyGRN, flying emits carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that get trapped in the atmosphere and warm the planet, and the energy consumption of one international flight is equivalent to watching television for 920 days.
Even ordinary people can do some things to make air travel more environmentally friendly, such as choosing direct flights and opting for energy-conscious airlines.
But the real job is up to the aviation industry. According to FlyGRN, “it’s not possible to fly on hydrogen anytime soon.” Electric planes do exist, but they’re small and “only capable of flying short distances.”
Moreover, only a few airlines use biofuels, which reduce carbon dioxide emissions but are much more expensive than regular fuel.
Are airlines climate conscious?
According to CNN, the aviation industry is not on track to meet its goal of significantly reducing emissions by 2050.
Air New Zealand recently abandoned its 2030 emissions reduction targets, according to CNBC. While the airline is still committed to meeting its 2050 targets, it became the first airline to officially postpone the process, citing costs and fuel supply delays.
“Global manufacturing and supply chain challenges may require the airline to maintain its existing fleet for longer than planned,” the airline’s CEO Greg Foran said in a statement. “As such, the decision has been made to withdraw the 2030 target.”
Air New Zealand’s plight reflects the difficulties all airlines will face as they strive to meet climate targets, but some are having more success than others.
According to the International Airport Review, United Airlines has become “the first airline to purchase sustainable aviation fuel” for its aircraft at O’Hare International Airport.
Last month, American Airlines also committed to buying 100 hydrogen-fueled engines. The airline also has one of the youngest fleets in the United States in an effort to make planes more environmentally friendly.
“Today’s announcement will help accelerate the development of technologies needed to advance the aviation industry, deliver on our commitment to making American a sustainable airline and continue to serve our customers for decades to come,” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said in a statement.
America’s climate goals — can we meet them?
According to the State Department, the U.S. has set a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and halving emissions by 2030. The State Department also reports that the country is on track to meet its climate goals across industries, including transportation, forestry and manufacturing.
However, according to NBC News, a report from Rhodium, “a research firm that tracks progress towards the US’s climate goals,” found that America’s climate efforts are still falling short in meeting the targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement.
But according to NBC News, “the report suggests that investments in clean energy are accelerating rapidly, economic growth is no longer dependent on fossil fuels and two of President Joe Biden’s climate actions are accelerating the pace of electrification.”
Obstacles remain on America’s path to sustainability, including growing demand for electricity and partisan fighting over climate change.
Nevertheless, investment in clean energy continues to grow: According to NBC News, in the first few months of 2024, companies across the country invested $71 billion in the industry.
“It’s great to see private capital coming into the clean tech space to find the winners and technologies that will be game-changing,” Ben King, director at Rhodium Group, told NBC News.
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