Sustainability top of the agenda as regulator visits aerospace industry in Manchester

At a glance:

• Proactive steps to improve sustainability across the aviation sector have been demonstrated to the UK Civil Aviation Authority during a visit to Jet2.com’s Manchester base.
• Meeting with the UK’s third largest airline, Rob Bishton, Chief Executive Officer at the UK Civil Aviation Authority met with senior leaders alongside the regulator’s newly appointed Group Director for Consumers and Markets, Selina Chadha.

Jet2.com demonstrated some of its sustainability initiatives, including work to reduce its airside carbon footprint, through the introduction of all-electric crew buses and ground handling equipment, with over 50% of Jet2.com’s owned ground handling equipment in the UK now converted to an electric fuel supply.

Seeing the new equipment and sustainability advancements, Rob Bishton appreciated not only the environmental impact, but also how changes are enhancing the passenger experience.

The visit comes as the regulator prepares to consult with industry on enhancing both its environmental reporting capabilities and performance through its Aviation Environmental Review, as well as publish findings and next steps on its Consumer Environmental Information consultation.

Rob Bishton, Chief Executive Officer at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:

“Our mission is to protect people and enable aerospace so it’s important as the regulator to see first-hand the proactive steps the industry is taking to improve sustainability within the aviation sector.

“We recognise the need for transparency across industry on its sustainability efforts, which is why we’re working to ensure that passengers receive accurate and accessible environmental information, as well as consulting on enhancing industry’s reporting capabilities.

“Working together we can drive meaningful change towards a more sustainable future for aviation.”

Commenting on the visit by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, Steve Heapy, Chief Executive Officer at Jet2.com, said:

“We are proud of the work that we have done, and continue to do, to address our climate impact. This includes investing in new and more fuel-efficient aircraft, such as our order of 146 Airbus A321 NEO aircraft, which are over 20% more fuel efficient than older aircraft. We have also invested in a Sustainable Aviation Fuel production plant here in the UK. Additionally, we have also replaced millions of single use plastics from onboard our aircraft and met our carbon intensity reduction targets to date.

“Of course, a key lever to help drive decarbonisation is the modernisation of airspace, and we urge the UK government and the EU to accelerate the pace of these projects. Airspace modernisation, alongside moving to best-in-class aircraft and operations, could deliver between 12-15% of CO2 savings by 2050, so the time to act is now.”

The visit forms part of the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s ongoing engagement with industry to understand the range of perspectives from the multiple areas it regulates and to help inform decision-making for the benefit of industry, consumers, and the public.

Notes to Editor:

Photo: L-R:

Reiner Krammer - Head of Corporate Finance & Risk, Civil Aviation Authority

Steve Heapy, Chief Executive, Jet2

Rob Bishton - Chief Executive, Civil Aviation Authority,  

Selina Chadha - Group Director for Consumers & Markets, Civil Aviation Authority

David Neill, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, Jet2