Australian Airlines Look At Alternatives
Airlines in Australia Looking for Green Travel?
By: Phoenix Arrien
I cautiously admire Richard Branson, I mean it is not always easy to like tycoons but as movers and shakers go, at least this man with all his flaws, is doing something green in the travel industry.
For instance: The Australian subsidiary of Virgin Airlines has begun several green initiatives that include cutting water usage by eliminating the need to wash its fleet of aircraft by investing in a high-tech, water resistant “Permagard” sealant. This should save tens of thousands of litres of water. Yay!
The airline is also bringing in a carbon offsetting programme for customers and staff. Passengers can donate to Australian Greenhouse Office approved projects such as forestry activities, energy efficiency measures, and waste diversion and the generation of renewable energies. Virgin Blue has also pledged to commit around AUD$500,000 annually to offset the impacts of its own crew and staff travelling on company business.
As well Virgin Atlantic has successfully demonstrated that they can fly a plane on biofuel. Hats off to them, folks, for this is indeed a step in an interesting direction! There are problems with biofuel; if it competes with food sources and comes from plantations cut out of forests then it only increases the problems. However, this is a step and just the fact that the plane took off and climbed to 25,000 feet is exciting.
Not to be outdone, Rolls-Royce and British Airways have begun investigating alternative aviation fuels. The companies will initiate a joint tender process, inviting suppliers to offer alternative fuel samples for testing on a Rolls-Royce RB211 engine from a British Airways Boeing 747. The tests will be carried out on an indoor engine test bed at the Rolls-Royce facility in Derby, UK.
Four alternative fuels will be selected for testing, trials and the results reported based on suitability, sustainability and industrial capability.
Other airlines that are testing alternative fuels include a Middle Eastern airline and many airlines are looking at ways to cut fuel consumption including Finnish and New Zealand Airways.
Let’s hope we can keep flying into the future…in sustainable ways.
Tags: Airlines in Australia, Green travel in Australia, travel in Australia
July 26th, 2008 at 11:36 am
The last blog i read didnt have as much info as this one
! Finally a good blog that has info worth reading . thx