Etihad Airways is set to mark Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
2020 by operating a special eco-flight from Abu Dhabi to Brussels, featuring
a range of initiatives designed to illustrate the airlines broad commitment to
sustainable practices in the air and on the ground.
Flight EY 57 departed at 2.20am on January 13 using a Boeing
787 Dreamliner aircraft, the newest and most efficient type in the Etihad
fleet, which consumes at least 15 per cent less fuel than any aircraft type
previously flown by the airline.
The aircraft will follow an optimised flight route
facilitated by the European airspace navigation service provider Eurocontrol to
reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
A range of other initiatives will be undertaken before,
during and after the flight to highlight incremental opportunities to reduce
the airlines impact on the environment.
Tony Douglas, Group chief executive officer, Etihad Aviation
Group, said: "Sustainable practice is a critical and continuing challenge for
the air transport industry, which is striving to reduce carbon emissions and
waste, while meeting soaring demand for air travel. It is also a key priority
for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in which Etihad is a critical driver of both
social and economic development."
"This years national theme of the UAE is 2020: Towards the
next 50. Etihad is committed to working continuously with a range of partners
as part of a broader national focus on environmental sustainability."
Recently, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United
Arab Emirates, has been ranked as the most punctual airline in the Middle East
and one of the most punctual in the world by the global aviation analytics
group OAG.
The airline has announced the Etihad Greenliner Programme, through which its entire fleet of Boeing 787s will be used as flying testbeds for a range of sustainability initiatives by Etihad and its industry partners. The first such partner is Boeing, which will join Etihad in a comprehensive research programme, beginning next week with the delivery of a new signature Boeing 787, specially-themed to highlight the sustainability partnership of the two companies.
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