“What amount of CO2 emissions does a single air traveller cause?” This was the question that Lufthansa’s environmental specialists set out to answer, together with their SWISS and myclimate colleagues. To do so, they analyzed data from over 43,000 flights.
From small regional jets to large long-haul transports, the entire aircraft fleet was carefully studied to determine just how much kerosene a flight will consume, from gate to gate and with due and full regard to differing meteorological conditions (especially winds), taxiing procedures on the ground and diversions and holding patterns in the air.
In addition to CO2, air transport also produces further emissions (especially nitrogen oxides and water vapour) that are believed to contribute to climate change. Science has not yet, however, been able to determine the precise extent of their contribution here. In view of this, the emissions calculator that myclimate provides for SWISS and Lufthansa does not consider any other types of emission apart from carbon dioxide.