Wizz Air unveils its roadmap to net zero by 2050
CONSUMER NEWS
Wizz Air, an environmentally sustainable airline in EMEA, has launched its comprehensive net zero roadmap, Flying Towards Net Zero.
The roadmap focuses on three key areas: flights (30% emissions reductions from new aircraft technology and fleet renewal), fuel (53% emissions reductions from SAF), and footprint (4% emissions reductions from air traffic management modernisation).
As part of its Customer First Compass initiative, the company has invested €14 billion ($15 billion) to enhance its operations, including investments in the latest technology aircraft and SAF production.
This commitment to Flying Towards Net Zero is crucial for the aviation industry's long-term sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience.
Flying Towards Net Zero reflects the International Civil Aviation Organisation's long-term climate goals, which aim to achieve net zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050.
The plan is anchored by five fundamental pillars: 53% decarbonisation through increased use of SAF, 21% decarbonisation through technological advancements in aircraft and engine technology, 7% decarbonisation through fleet renewal, 4% decarbonisation through air traffic reform, and 2% decarbonisation through operational efficiencies.
Wizz Air has the lowest emissions intensity per passenger kilometer of any airline globally and a target to reduce emissions by 25% by 2030. The company operates the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleet in Europe, thanks to investing in the best-in-class technology aircraft (Airbus A321neo). To enable these decarbonisation levers, the future of aviation depends on radical innovation.
SAF production must scale now, as it is limited and uncompetitive for a low-cost business model. Governments must ensure a long-term policy framework that drives SAF adoption and introduce incentives that close the price gap between SAF and conventional jet fuel.
Infrastructure reform is also essential for airlines to decarbonise, as air traffic inefficiencies add millions of tonnes of unnecessary emissions each year. Wizz Air is already using AI technology to improve operational efficiency, but other actors must also play their part.
Yvonne Moynihan, Wizz Air Corporate & ESG Officer, says: “Wizz Air supports an ambitious vision for net zero, but the truth is that the current pace of change is not enough, and without radical intervention, aviation will fail to meet its commitments.
Achieving a net zero roadmap is fraught with uncertainties. The most significant challenges extend beyond scientific issues and encompass policy decisions, investment strategies, market dynamics, and the timely implementation of essential measures. Scientific advancements also encounter obstacles related to cost, infrastructure, and regulatory approval.
We need action, not just ambition. That’s why we’re calling on governments, regulators, and the fuel industry to wake up to the reality of aviation’s transition and start delivering the changes that will make net zero possible. Aviation needs a policy and investment revolution to shape the industry’s path.
Flights. Fuel. Footprint. This is our commitment. This is our journey. This is how we fly towards net zero”. -TradeArabia News Service
