When you travel, you leave a carbon footprint. This is also true for air travel, which accounts for about three percent of global CO₂ emissions. This gives rise to responsibility. Our approach: to minimise specific CO₂ emissions today through new and lower-emission aircraft. We also want to significantly increase the share of sustainably produced aviation fuels, reduce climate-relevant and environmentally harmful emissions to a minimum – and continue to make affordable holiday possible.

Politics and the aviation industry have been working together for years to reduce the climate impact of air traffic. For example, European aviation has been included in EU emissions trading alongside the energy industry and energy-intensive industries since 2012. Emissions trading ensures that the aforementioned economic sectors reduce their CO₂ emissions. To this end, the amount of CO₂ certificates in the EU is supposed to gradually decrease by  62 percent (previously 43 percent) by 2030 compared with 2005 levels – this is what the European Parliament decided in April 2023 in the course of the reform of the EU emissions trading system. In global air traffic, on the other hand, the CO₂ compensation and reduction instrument CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) of the UN aviation organisation ICAO takes effect. Airlines have to pay for growth-related emissions. The funds then flow into ICAO-certified climate protection projects.

We are convinced: these international regulatory frameworks do not exempt companies from reducing emissions on their own. That is why the TUI Group submitted detailed CO₂ reduction plans to the independent NGO Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) particularly for our airlines – which are responsible for 80 percent of our Group-wide emissions. The SBTi has reviewed and verified our reduction targets. Our goal by 2030 is to significantly reduce our airlines’ emissions by -24 percent CO₂ per passenger per kilometre compared to 2019 and to reach the Group-wide net zero target by 2050 at the latest.

TUI Airline, the association of five TUI airlines, are thus among the first airlines whose reduction targets have been scientifically confirmed. This underlines once again the pioneering role we play. In order to achieve our goals, we are firstly focusing on renewing our fleet with more emission-efficient aircraft. Secondly, we are taking operational measures: we are continuously improving our flight planning and optimizing our fuel management system. In 2023, the relative CO₂ emissions of our airlines fell by 3.9 percent compared to 2022. The third lever for achieving the reduction targets is sustainable aviation fuels.

Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) are currently produced from biogenic residues and directly reduce CO₂ emissions. One problem, however, is availability. SAF manufacturers are currently unable to meet the growing demand. We are driving this key issue forward to make the sustainable travel of the future possible. Therefore, we are partnering with various companies for the production and supply of SAF, for example with the Spanish energy company Cespa. Corresponding cooperations increase the availability of sustainable, non-fossil fuels – an important step towards more sustainable flying. Nevertheless, the SAF ramp-up also requires political support.

Policymakers can further improve the framework conditions for more CO₂-efficient flying:

• Promote power-based fuels: Electricity-based aviation fuels play a key role in decarbonising air transport. This urgently requires the market ramp-up of power-to-liquid kerosene for which renewable electricity from photovoltaics and wind power is used. The PtL roadmap drawn up jointly by policymakers and industry must now be implemented consistently in order to achieve the ambitious goals by 2030.
• Modernise air traffic control: Air traffic control can reduce emissions with climate-optimised routing. To achieve this, it must be further automated and harmonised internationally.
• Supplement blending quota: In the EU, airlines are obligied to fill up with fuels containing two percent SAF from 2025 – and as much as 70 percent by 2050. TUI expressly supports approaches to decarbonise air transport, but the obligation must be supplemented by support approaches for the production and use of SAF which is significantly more expensive than fossil fuels. 
• Enforce EU-wide harmonisation:The reform of the Single European Sky (SES) must be resolutely continued. Because different national air traffic control systems lead to additional kerosene consumption. Harmonisation could save up to ten percent of CO₂ emissions.
• Liberalise air traffic: The EU should endeavour to conclude liberalised air transport agreements with third countries, in particular also with the United Kingdom. There should also be more room for manoeuvre for European airlines to attract foreign investment.