How Cathay Pacific is improving its fuel efficiency

Cathay Pacific is on a mission to move people forward while addressing the emissions related to flying. We’re using a number of initiatives designed to help us progress towards our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Airline operations are dependent on jet fuel. But there are ways to reduce the amount of fuel used and emissions generated. A major factor is aircraft design. “Each new generation of aircraft is about 20 per cent more efficient than the last,” says Head of Line Operations, Captain James Toye.

Newer, lighter aircraft with more efficient engines can carry more passengers over longer distances while burning less fuel per seat and per kilometre.

Another essential tool is Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which can reduce life cycle carbon emissions by about 80 per cent compared to conventional jet fuel. Cathay Pacific was among the earliest adopters of SAF in Asia, and now passengers can contribute by purchasing SAF when flying with us.

There are also efficiencies to be made from the flight deck. “We try to find the most efficient route,” says Line Operations Manager, Captain Tony Pringle. This involves closely monitoring wind conditions – riding the jetstream as a tailwind can shorten flight time, while flying into it can slow down the aircraft.

“Sometimes a longer route is actually quicker because of the wind,” adds Captain Toye, citing the example of routing flights from New York to Hong Kong via the Atlantic Ocean instead of the Pacific. “And during flight, we encourage pilots to adjust flight levels or request shortcuts to optimise every aspect of the journey,” he says.

Weight management also plays an important role. Replacing paper manuals with digital versions on iPads has already saved 30kg per flight. Aircraft also carry only the fuel and potable water required. “We fine-tune the water load for each flight to ensure more than enough is available, but avoiding a few hundred unnecessary kilos makes a difference,” says Captain Toye.

Further savings can be made on the ground. “We shut down an engine during taxi-in whenever it’s safe to do so,” says Captain Pringle. This is risk-assessed and we won’t do it in slippery conditions or on soft tarmac. “Also, on long runways, we’ll use idle reverse instead of full reverse to slow down when possible. Each of these actions can save up to 100kg of fuel.”

Individually, these efficiencies may seem small – but across more than 300 flights a day, they add up to significant savings.