The Airports & Travel Eco-criterion

Until now, the European Union Emissions Trading System, known as the ETS, has applied mainly to flights within Europe. With this extension, an air connection such as Paris–Istanbul would be subject to an additional carbon cost. By contrast, longer flights to destinations such as New York, Tokyo or China would initially remain exempt. Private jet flights would also be covered.

This measure is intended to encourage airlines to reduce their emissions. However, it is causing concern in parts of the European aviation sector. Airlines fear losing competitiveness to foreign carriers that would not be subject to the same rules. They are therefore calling for an international approach, particularly through the CORSIA system led by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Europe also plans to support airlines in their transition. It intends to allocate €15 billion between 2029 and 2040 to the development of Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). This funding is meant to encourage larger-scale production of lower-carbon fuels and reduce their cost over time.

The proposal could still evolve. If international efforts remain insufficient, the European Union is considering expanding carbon pricing further from 2032. All international flights departing from Europe could then be affected, regardless of their distance.

For travellers, this change could therefore have an indirect impact on ticket prices. For the aviation sector, it chiefly reflects an intention to make emitters pay more for carbon emissions and to accelerate the development of alternatives to conventional jet fuel.

For the first time, Ciampino Airport, operated by Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), has received the 4-star Skytrax certification after an audit covering over 800 criteria encompassing the entire passenger experience. The evaluators praised the cleanliness of facilities, the clarity of signage, the efficiency of security and border controls, as well as the quality of customer service. Additional services, such as workspaces, family areas, facilities for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM), and recreational equipment, also contribute to improving the experience. With over 4 million passengers in 2025, a 3.3% increase from 2024, Ciampino plays a strategic role in low-cost air travel and business aviation. The CEO of ADR highlights that this 4-star certification reflects teamwork and the airport's ability to balance operational efficiency with travellers' comfort, despite constraints related to mixed civil and military use. This recognition is part of a comprehensive modernisation and upgrade plan for Rome's airport system, which also includes Rome-Fiumicino, already rated 5 stars by Skytrax. At Ciampino, work will continue in 2026 to harmonise comfort levels and enrich services, strengthening the airport's attractiveness and positioning among European regional airports.

According to the NGO Transport & Environment, a disproportionate share of the warming linked to contrails comes from a limited number of flights. Flights operated at night during the coldest months would account for a significant share of the climate impact on their own, even though they represent a minority of air traffic. The phenomenon is highly seasonal, with most of the effects observed between autumn and early spring. Contrails form when aircraft pass through very cold, humid air masses, where water vapor freezes around particles emitted by the engines. Some dissipate quickly, while others persist and trap heat, contributing to global warming. Yet simple changes in route or altitude would sometimes be enough to avoid these favorable atmospheric conditions. The study highlights that the benefits would be particularly significant on certain long-haul routes, especially over the North Atlantic, where a small number of flights account for a large share of the impact. By prioritizing contrail avoidance during off-peak periods and at night, a large share of the associated warming could have been avoided. To achieve this, T&E is calling for better use of weather forecasts and stronger coordination between airlines and air traffic control. A pragmatic approach that could become one of the fastest levers for the aviation sector’s climate transition.

The European Union requires the progressive incorporation of SAF into jet fuel through the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation, with targets increasing through 2050. Presented as a key lever for decarbonising air transport, this framework is intended to provide visibility for industry players and airlines. But for Patrick Pouyanné, this visibility remains uncertain. He believes that Europe could soften its ambitions, as it recently did in the automotive sector. TotalEnergies already produces SAF and could increase its capacity, but the group is holding back on certain investments due to a lack of firm demand. The main obstacle remains the price, with SAF costing several times more than conventional jet fuel. Airlines are decrying soaring costs, while TotalEnergies accuses them of demanding increased production without accepting the higher cost. In this tense environment, the future of investment in sustainable fuels in Europe remains uncertain.

The Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, Greece’s main gateway by air, has reached a major milestone in its energy transition by meeting 100 % of its electricity needs through renewable sources produced on site and achieving net-zero status for its direct operations—an exceptional level of carbon neutrality for a European hub. This achievement comes well ahead of the 2050 target set for the European airport sector as a whole, as part of its ambitious “Route 2025” programme. The facility combines an extensive photovoltaic farm with a battery storage system, creating one of Europe’s largest solar generation systems integrated into an airport, with a combined capacity of more than 51 MWp. Thanks to this system, the airport produces and stores the renewable energy it needs for its daily operations locally, thereby avoiding emissions associated with fossil-fuel-based electricity. This shift towards self-sufficiency is based on several key pillars: the complete electrification of ground operations, the use of advanced energy storage systems and the renovation of infrastructure to eliminate fossil fuels as a heating source. These efforts have helped reduce CO₂ emissions, despite traffic more than doubling over the years. The transformation of Athens Airport is part of a broader drive to position Greece as a sustainable destination, capable of welcoming a growing number of travellers while limiting its environmental impact. With this status of energy independence and carbon neutrality for its direct activities, the airport strengthens its competitiveness and demonstrates how investments in clean energy and innovation can redefine the future of air transport.

Part of the Airlines for Europe (A4E) organisation, airlines such as IAG (British Airways, Iberia), Air France-KLM, Lufthansa Group, EasyJet and Ryanair are warning of the risk of SAF shortages (sustainable aviation fuel). Global production remains limited and costs remain high. These constraints make it difficult to meet the targets set by the European Union: 6% SAF by 2030 and 70% by 2050. Executives explain that without increased public support, this transition could undermine the competitiveness of the aviation sector. They are calling for strategic dialogue with the European institutions to adjust the timeline or help develop SAF production. IATA, the International Air Transport Association, supports this request. Its Director General, Willie Walsh, has also denounced surcharges imposed by certain SAF suppliers, which significantly increase costs for airlines. According to these stakeholders, the transition to sustainable aviation fuels can succeed only if supply keeps pace with demand. They are calling for a massive increase in SAF production in Europe to prevent a standstill in aviation decarbonisation. The European airlines’ request for a reprieve highlights that the transition to SAF will be effective only if it combines stronger public support with accelerated production to ensure sustainable and competitive aviation.

The CO2 Connect initiative was launched by IATA in 2022 with the aim of using member airlines' data, such as fuel consumption, belly cargo and load factors, to calculate CO2 emissions per flight. Thanks to contributions from Oneworld members, this tool will be even more robust and comprehensive. It calculates CO2 emissions for 74 aircraft types, representing approximately 98% of the passenger aircraft fleet. It also incorporates traffic data from 881 airlines, covering approximately 93% of global air traffic. This holistic approach ensures an accurate assessment of CO2 emissions in the airline industry. Results are accessible to partners via an API interface or as a file. This collaboration between Oneworld and IATA therefore reflects the aviation sector's ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental impact and moving toward a more sustainable future.

Level 5 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) certifies airports that have achieved and maintained a net-zero carbon footprint for emissions under their control. This level is awarded based on the following criteria:

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• an absolute reduction of at least 90% in CO2 emissions in Scopes 1 and 2 
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• investment in carbon removal
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• Airports must develop a detailed plan outlining the steps to achieve their emissions reduction targets
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• submission of a verified carbon footprint for Scopes 1 and 2, as well as all relevant Scope 3 categories
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• implementation of a partnership plan with stakeholders across the airport ecosystem 
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At present, ten airports have already achieved Level 5 certification. They represent an inspiring example of the industry’s commitment to a more sustainable future for aviation. They include Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Eindhoven and Rotterdam-The Hague in the Netherlands, Beja, Madeira and Ponta Delgada in Portugal, Christchurch in New Zealand, Göteborg Landvetter and Malmö in Sweden, and Toulon-Hyères in France.

The European Parliament has voted for a measure aimed at encouraging the use of more environmentally friendly fuels in the aviation sector. This decision is part of an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation industry, which accounts for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions. With this sustainable fuel quota, airlines will gradually have to increase their use of certified sustainable fuels, such as biofuels, to replace fossil fuels. By 2025, 2% of the fuel available at airports in the European Union must be sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This rate will rise to 6% in 2030 and must reach 70% by 2050. To prevent this quota from being circumvented, the European Parliament has introduced measures to prevent aircraft from being supplied with kerosene outside the European Union.

Reducing the impact of contrails by 50% worldwide could delay aviation-induced global warming by 10 years. According to research presented by Transport & Environment, the threshold of +0.08°C attributable to air transport would be reached in 2050 rather than 2040. The impact is highly concentrated: only 3% of flights generate 80% of the warming associated with contrails. By slightly adjusting the altitude or route of these flights, it could be possible to avoid 67 to 225 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent each year, representing up to 23% of direct civil aviation emissions. The approach is starting to prove feasible: Air France notably studied 4,300 transatlantic flights and modified 130 flight plans without delays on arrival. As early as 2025, Amelia and Thales had also tested this approach in France, with 20 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent avoided across 5 flights. This solution could therefore offer a readily deployable climate solution, alongside Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and fleet renewal.