British Airways supporting a sustainable travel industry

The launch of British Airways (BA) latest scheme, the Better World sustainability programme, shows how significant sustainability is to the enterprise. The airline said it also highlighted further commitment to encourage sustainability across the whole company, by reducing emissions, limiting waste and contributing to the communities within its reach, to build resilience and responsibility into its team. 

With continued efforts to decarbonise the industry for almost 30 years, BA is going one step further to encourage sustainable travel through a partnership with BP. The collaboration will support its commitment to utilise sustainable aviation fuel for all of its flights within the United Kingdom—between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh—and even offer customers the opportunity to purchase aviation fuel to reduce their carbon footprints. 

At a recent event, Sean Doyle, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of British Airways said, ‘With BA Better World we’re on our most important journey yet - to a better, more sustainable future and one which will ensure the long-term success of our business. We’re clear that we have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the planet and have a detailed plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, including investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft, improving our operational efficiency and investing in the development of sustainable aviation fuel and zero emissions aircraft’.

The event took place at the BA Heathrow engineering base, where the company unveiled a new aesthetic for one of the most fuel-efficient aeroplane models in its fleet. 

‘It is only through working in partnership with Government and industry that we’ll be able to reach our targets and I’m delighted that, thanks to our new collaboration with bp, we’re able to source enough sustainable aviation fuel with respect to all our flights between London, Glasgow and Edinburgh during COP26, substantially reducing the emissions associated with taking our customers to and from COP26by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel. This commitment for COP26 is in addition to the mandatory carbon trading we already operate in the UK and our own further voluntary carbon offsetting of our UK domestic flights’, says Doyle. 

Martin Thomsen, Chief Executive Officer of BP’s aviation division, says, ‘We're thrilled to collaborate with British Airways by supplying sustainable aviation fuel with respect to all of its flights from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh for the COP26 event.  Our companies have a long-standing relationship and will continue to work together on sustainable aviation fuel supply initiatives on an ongoing basis’.