Etihad Airways named world's most eco-friendly airline

Etihad Airways has been named ‘Environmental Airline of the Year 2022’ in the annual Airline Ratings awards.

The UAE's national carrier recently published the Etihad Airways Sustainability Report, which Airline Ratings deemed as a benchmark for the industry, demonstrating the potential advancements to be made in sustainable aviation by a wide range of initiatives.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Aviation Group, expressed pride at the honour.

"This accolade is testament to our efforts over the past few years to be the greenest airline in the sky and we’re proud to be awarded the Environmental Airline of the Year 2022," he said, highlighting how they "continue to explore and test all possible ways to decarbonise – from research into sustainable aviation fuels and contrail avoidance to offsets and reforestation through the Etihad Mangroves".

Over the past three years, the airline has conducted a vast number of research eco-flights demonstrating potential carbon emission savings of up to 72 per cent on a single flight.

Etihad has also tested and implemented world-first operational efficiencies and technology solutions including Jeppesen Flite Deck Advisor, SATAVIA contrail avoidance, GE Engine Foam Wash, eTech logs and lightweight Unit Load Devices

Etihad’s flagship sustainability programmes include the Greenliner programme using the airline’s fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners as flying test-beds, as well as the Sustainable50 A350-1000 launched earlier this year.

The Etihad Mangroves Forest project was launched with plans to establish carbon-absorbing forests in countries where the airline operates.

Airlineratings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas said "the airline’s Sustainability Report 2020-2021 demonstrates the potential advancements to be made in sustainable aviation by a wide range of initiatives, coordinated to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in emissions intensity in its passenger fleet by 2025, cut 2019 net emissions by 50 per cent by 2035, and reach net-zero emissions by 2050."