Beleaguered Airline Industry Forced to Start Going Green

Things are looking pretty grim for the airline industry, which has suffered major setbacks in the last couple of years due to rising fuel costs. They’re not just dealing with how to stay in the sky without charging customers outrageous prices, though: environmentalists are forcing the industry to finally take responsibility for the huge amounts of carbon emitted by air travel. All of these factors have airlines scrambling to save themselves, and they’re finally putting some real innovation to work in the process.

From Wired:

Virgin Atlantic recently made a test flight of a Boeing 747 fueled by a mixture of kerosene and biofuel derived from coconut and babassu oil. But the emphasis is on algae, led by Boeing’s recent commitment to the alt fuel and efforts by JetBlue and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to turn pond scum into fuel.

Christopher Surgenor, editor of GreenAirOnline, says algal fuel is the most promising alternative because “It has the right properties for a jet fuel and can be produced in comparatively large quantities.” But others say it’s too early in the game to pick a winner, and Arvi warns that narrowing the research to one field “is self-defeating. It stifles innovation.”

For all the advancements in engines and airframes, the system we use for moving all those planes around is stuck in the 1940s. Airlines say replacing the radar-based air traffic control infrastructure with a satellite system would reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions by 10 to 15 percent while making the business of getting planes in and out of airports more efficient. Adopting a more efficient means of approaching airports — called “continuous descent approach” — would further cut fuel consumption and emissions while also reducing noise.

Unfortunately, none of these solutions provide a quick fix for the problems that are plaguing the industry today. It’ll be 2-3 years before we see next generation aircraft, and modernized air traffic control is at least a decade away. Analysts say that alternative fuels won’t be anything more than a pipe dream for at least 5 years. And there are some critics who are skeptical that green initiatives will do anything at all for the industry and are simultaneously denying greenwashing accusations: “We care about the environment and we want a clean planet. We just don’t want the industry to get ruined in the process”, says Ernest Arvi, CEO of aviation consultancy The Arvi Group.

They’d better figure out something quick, because with oil prices reaching new heights nearly every day, soon the everyday person won’t be able to afford air travel.

Link [Wired]
Photo credit: Flickr user lrargerich

Do We Have a Right to Quick and Easy Flights to Anywhere in the World?

In the last century, we’ve gotten used to a lot of conveniences. Travel is now extremely easy compared to what it used to be; the long, dusty journeys people used to take just to get a short distance are a nearly forgotten memory. We expect to be easily and conveniently able to get wherever we want, NOW.

That’s why recent news about airline woes and how it could cost us has people worried about the future of transportation. From ABC News:

Nightmare Scenario #1: You’ve got your briefcase in hand, boarding pass in pocket, and your carry-on rolling behind you. You head to the airport with confidence. Except — there are no planes there.

Sound crazy? Keep reading.

Nightmare Scenario #2: You jump in a cab, heading to the airport; you know your airline is there, so no worries about any missing planes. The only problem is, your cab ride to the nearest airport with flights takes four hours.

Impossible? Well, in today’s environment, it could happen. Airlines are bailing out of certain cities and routes. Your city could be next.

“Nightmare scenario”. Interesting choice of words. For the first time in decades, cheap and easy flights from your hometown to your destination of choice aren’t a given. Fares are steadily going up, airlines are charging more for services like checking a second bag and fuel costs will continue to make it all even worse. The idea of airlines cutting routes and cities is a frightening one for many people. But, do we as humans have the right to expect the world to be within 45 minutes of our doorstep?

While technology has afforded us that luxury, it has also contributed to the current mess we’re in. All of this rapid transport has a price, as we’re beginning to learn - both in its contribution to global warming, and the reduction of available energy resources. And unless new technology catches up, we’re likely going to have to make some sacrifices. Being a bit more patient will certainly be a virtue in the coming years. For a start, don’t be the asshole that makes a scene and shouts at some unfortunate employee when your flight gets canceled. It’ll make it a lot less painful for all of us.

Link [ABC News]
Photo credit: Flickr user kyle simourd