A new study published in Communications Earth & Environment reveals that emissions within aviation could be cut in half by controllable, internal measures. Recommendations included replacing older, more polluting planes with efficient counterparts, losing premium seats and making sure flights are consistently full.

The research assessed the variations in operational efficiency and was led by Prof Stefan Gössling, at Linnaeus University in Sweden. “I always thought air transport was already very efficient, Gössling said. “But, in reality, it’s very inefficient because of the three factors: using old aircraft, transporting people [in premium seats] with lots of space, and often having aircraft that are not really fully loaded.”

The study examined flights between 26,000 pairs of cities, based on the CO2 emitted per kilometre per passenger, and found US was 14% more polluting than the global average.

“While airlines often claim that fuel savings are in their own economic interest, the reality is that many airlines continue to fly with old aircraft, low load factors, or growing shares of premium-class seating,” the researchers said.

Closer to home

In the UK, the Department for Transport published a paper in December 2025 that will shape the UK’s strategy for decarbonising airports and the aviation industry. 
‘Operational efficiencies for aviation decarbonisation’ was produced by consultants KPMG and Mott MacDonald with City St George’s, University of London. It identifies 23 viable ways to achieve rapid carbon reductions. 

Optimising flight plans, electrifying ground support equipment, improving airport buildings’ energy efficiency, and delivering continuous descent and approaches in terminal airspace were among the recommendations.

The author team carried out multi-criteria analysis to produce a ‘league table’ of decarbonisation options. It weighed technical practicality, stakeholder readiness and support, cost, carbon savings, and environmental and social impacts. Practical interventions were placed on a timeline to 2050.

The authors warned that the highest-ranked options, “Do not score highly on carbon abatement potential.

“Of the four interventions ranked highest by the multi-criteria analysis, three scored less than 3/7 (1 low, 7 high) on their carbon abatement potential. However, they all scored highly on the cost of carbon abated and deliverability, demonstrating the importance of ease of  implementation to stakeholders.”

They also noted: “Operational efficiencies in the near to mid-term tend to be lower (relative) cost interventions which have some carbon abatement potential, but the real benefit is in the combination of initiatives, to achieve a much larger grouped impact.

“The most promising interventions included elements of aircraft design and retrofit, airports, airspace and air operations.”

In a positive conclusion, the paper noted that: “Many of the interventions for airports and in aircraft retrofit are already being delivered, such as improvements in aerodynamics and electric ground support equipment,” while recognising, “Hydrogen and electric propulsion are important interventions for the long term.”

Image: airplane taking off from the airport runway. Credit: Shutterstock.