The Irish Low-Cost Carrier Ryanair, has launched last Wednesday, (27th October 2021) the implementation of electric handling in 11 airports around Europe, enabling turnarounds with zero-emissions. This is an important step towards more sustainable operations, with the airline trying to achieve the goal of net zero carbon emissions before 2050.
Carbon-free turnarounds
Electricity-powered tools have been implemented in 11 airports: 8 in Spain (Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, Seville, Santiago, Valencia) Amsterdam Schipol (Netherlands), Gothenburg (Sweden) and Oslo (Norway). With their use, the popular 25-minutes Ryanair turnarounds will completely offset their carbon emissions. According to Ryanair’s Director of Sustainability, Thomas Fowler, a standard turnaround could emit up to 52kg of CO2; therefore, an important step towards sustainable operations is made, especially if this practice will be implemented more in the airline’s network.
The turnaround process incorporates a number of steps and pieces of electric equipment – including electric baggage tractor, electric baggage belt loader, passenger steps, electric ground power, and electric push back tractor which assists the aircraft with exiting the aircraft parking position.
Ryanair’s direct partner for ground handling in Spain is Azul Handling, which now will be the first carbon neutral handling company in Spain. The company invested over 7 million € (£5,91 million) in order to achieve this green turn. In Amsterdam, Gothenburg and Oslo, ground handling is handed to the British company Menzies Aviation.
Katy Reid, Head of Sustainability in Menzies, said:
We recognise the aviation industry’s role in addressing the climate emergency and we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and becoming carbon neutral, for scope one and two emissions, by 2033. We are taking action by switching to electric where possible and ongoing collaboration with partners such as Ryanair will be vital to achieving this ambition. We look forward to working closely with industry partners, including suppliers, airlines and airports, to advance more environmentally friendly operations.”
Ryanair knows that the aviation industry has a leading role to play in fighting climate change: the airline’s recent $22bn investment in the newest Boeing 737-8200 “Gamechanger” will indeed help lower its fuel consumption by approximately 16% on a per-seat basis, and reduce noise by 40%.
What do you make of this green news? Do you see this happening soon in all Ryanair network? Let us know in the comments.
