Airlines Step Up to the Sustainability Plate — and Travel Advisors Can Follow

20.07.2023 - 11:52 / travelweekly.com

In the not-too-distant past, sustainability was likely a blip on most air travelers’ radar screen. But fast-forward to today, and for many, it’s a major consideration when booking flights — one that’s driving new initiatives undertaken by airlines and travel advisors alike.

“Sustainability has become increasingly important to air travelers, especially within the past few years following the pandemic,” notes travel advisor Elaina Vieira, co-founder of Merced, California-based Mind Over Matter Travel. “People caught a glimpse of the positive effect decreased travel had on the environment and planet. While most have continued their pre-pandemic travel routines, many aim to be more conscious of the environmental impact of air travel and seek to offset it where possible.”

Kristin Winkaffe, CEO of Winkaffe Global Travel, an independent McCabe World Travel affiliate based in Columbus, agrees. She says regulatory and industry initiatives are also fueling consumers’ awareness of sustainable air travel options, in turn upping their expectations that airlines demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. That sustainable air travel often goes hand-in-hand with ever-more-popular “authentic, immersive, responsible travel experiences” is moving the needle as well, Winkaffe observes.

Travel advisors also credit the effectiveness of social media for the high priority being placed on sustainability in air travel. Their rationale here: The more individuals share their eco-friendly travel experiences and decisions on social media platforms, the more others are inspired to prioritize sustainability when planning trips and to demand that companies, especially airlines, show their dedication to environmental preservation.

Meanwhile, a “Clean Sky” survey conducted in 2021 by global consultancy McKinsey & Company indicates that of 5,500 travelers from 13 nations worldwide, 40 percent are willing to pay at least two percent more ($20+ per $1,000 fare) for a carbon-neutral flight than for one that is not carbon neutral. Aircraft emissions are now the top concern of respondents in 11 countries represented in the survey, up from four in a previous survey executed by McKinsey in 2019. More than half of individuals polled said that they are “really concerned” about climate change, and that aviation should become carbon neutral in the future.

Airlines have begun to acknowledge travelers’ concerns about their flights’ carbon footprint and their desire to at least minimize it. For example, United Airlines customers can see an estimate of each flight’s carbon footprint on its website and app. However, this is just one part of a more all-encompassing effort by the carrier.

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