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Aviation emissions are usually seen as a technological issue; more efficient planes, better (sustainable) aviation fuel etc is the answer..... but what if organisational issues would make a more immediate impact:

reduce the number of semi-filled/empty flights (require all flights to be full to at least more fully booked);

reduce or even abolish business class, both expanding passenger numbers per flight (less flights) & putting off business travellers.

#emissions
https://theconversation.com/scrapping-business-class-could-halve-aviation-emissions-new-study-275474

The Conversation

Scrapping business class could halve aviation emissions – new study

Huge efficiency gains are available to airlines, without any new technologies – new study.

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The Conversation UK

Alan T Perry 🇨🇦

@alantperry@mstdn.ca · 3 days ago

@ChrisMayLA6

Frequent flyer here. A few points:

First, reducing emissions from aviation is a laudable goal, and can be achieved by numerous strategies, such as more efficient aircraft, fewer flights, access to alternatives such as high-speed rail, and so on.

The aviation industry is doing plenty of things such as improving load factors, lightening equipment, and running more point to point flights rather than hub and spoke services. All of that helps.

Part of the calculus of the business class seats ignored by the article is that they are heavy. Those lovely lie-flat pods weigh a significant amount more than an economy seat, and weight means emissions. However, being able to arrive from a 14 hour flight relaxed and well rested has value.

Part of the calculus of business class is that it's higher price subsidizes those cheaper economy class tickets. Reducing or eliminating business class would mean an increase in economy class prices. .../

Alan T Perry 🇨🇦

@alantperry@mstdn.ca · 3 days ago

@ChrisMayLA6

That said, aviation accounts for about 2% of global emissions. So does streaming video. Whilst we can and should reduce those emissions, there is more to be gained from addressing other sources of emissions. I'm not saying it's either/or, but a little perspective is helpful.

Cloud computing and AI are voracious and growing users of (often fossil fuel produced) electricity.

Electricity generation and heating are by far the number 1 sources of emissions.

Transportation is huge.

Manufacturing, building, industry are all big emitters.

Here's a useful chart of emissions by sector:

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/co-emissions-by-sector

Our World in Data

CO₂ emissions by sector

An interactive visualization from Our World in Data.

Quixoticgeek

@quixoticgeek@social.v.st · 3 days ago

@alantperry @ChrisMayLA6 flying, like driving, will only be reduced when there is a viable alternative. And the reality is, in most of the world there is no viable alternative. It's not like you can do London to Toronto by train... Or Sydney to Tokyo... Even in places where the trains in theory exist, they often aren't viable alternatives. Edinburgh to London, Amsterdam to Lisbon. Sure you can do this by train. But flying is often an order of magnitude cheaper.

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