Planet
At British Airways, we care about the impact of every flight. That’s why we’re driving urgent action towards net zero emissions. We have a long history of managing and reducing our carbon emissions and a clear roadmap to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with ambitious short, medium and long-term initiatives to achieve our goals.
Climate
We’re proud to be part of the first airline group in the world (IAG) to commit to becoming carbon net zero by 2050. We’re investing in new, modern aircraft that are up to 35% more efficient than the aircraft they replace and we’ve made changes to the way we fly to further reduce our emissions. We’ve also formed partnerships to support the development of sustainable aviation fuels (detailed below), hydrogen-powered aircraft and carbon capture technology.
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Our flightpath to net zero
We're committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
If improvements aren't made to efficiency, aviation’s carbon emissions would grow over time as demand for air travel increases.
That's why we're making a series of changes to help achieve this target, including:
- Investing in newer, more efficient aircraft
- Driving operational efficiency on the ground and in the air
- Investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). See SAF section below for more information
- Using carbon reductions and removals in other sectors
- Building sustainability awareness and engagement amongst our colleagues
- Empowering our customers to make more informed travel choices
See our BA Better World report to learn more about the changes we're making on our journey to net zero, including our flight path to net zero.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
‘Sustainable Aviation Fuels ‘(‘SAF’) are defined in the Refuel EU Aviation Regulation as aviation fuels that are either synthetic aviation fuels, aviation biofuels or recycled carbon aviation fuels.
SAF produces similar levels of carbon dioxide to conventional aviation fuels when burned, but the carbon dioxide generated is already part of the carbon cycle and is not extracted from the ground specifically for creating aviation fuel. This means that using SAF results in a reduction in carbon emissions compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces over the lifecycle of the fuel. A major challenge is that SAF availability remains low globally, and today accounts for just over 1% of our total fuel.
As SAF is similar in chemistry to traditional fossil jet fuel, it can be dropped straight into existing fuel supply infrastructure and aircraft without modification. As a result, it’s the readiest solution to help decarbonise aviation. In fact, SAF has the potential to provide a lifecycle carbon reduction of up to 80% compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces.
Alongside our parent company IAG, who has so far committed $865 million to SAF investments and purchases, we see progressing the development and commercial deployment of SAF as crucial to decarbonising the aviation industry. It is a key part of our plans to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and we will be fuelling our aircraft with at least 10% SAF by 2030, in line with the UK government’s SAF Mandate. This includes investing in first-of-a-kind SAF plants in the UK and US to scale up the availability of SAF. We currently use SAF produced from sustainable feedstocks such as used cooking oil, woody biomass, or orchard and forestry waste.
We were the first airline in the world to use SAF produced on a commercial scale in the UK after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66. And in 2024, IAG made its largest SAF purchase agreement to date with producer ‘Twelve’ for the supply of e-SAF, an advanced form of power-to-liquid SAF made from carbon dioxide, water and renewable energy.
Carbon removals
Carbon removal is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it safely in biological or geological ways for multiple decades or even centuries.
Our carbon removals portfolio includes a variety of nature-based and engineered approaches including capturing carbon dioxide directly from the air and durably storing it underground through to enhanced rock weathering. As part of our drive to accelerate our progress to net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner, we’ve recently signed a deal to purchase innovative carbon removals credits in the UK and overseas as part of a six-year agreement.
Since 2020, we’ve voluntarily purchased both verified carbon offsets and carbon removal credits at volumes approximately equivalent to our domestic emissions. We’ll continue to buy robust and verified carbon offsets under CORSIA, the industry’s global economic measure to address aviation emissions, and we’ll continue to apply our influence to encourage the strengthening of CORSIA over time. From 2024, we’re directing our voluntary action to purchasing a smaller volume of high quality and innovative certified carbon removal credits. Our aim is to support the development of this vital but nascent industry as we transition to using carbon removals solely in the long term.
Carbon emissions
We calculate CO2 emissions on a per-passenger basis for your flight using IATA’s RP 1726 methodology. We use actual British Airways fuel data at the flight level rather than company-wide or industry-wide averages for greater accuracy and to drive transparency globally.
This method is not the same as the methodology used by other flight search providers, so those estimates may be different. Here’s how we do it:
- We calculate the average total CO2 emissions for a flight from our previous year’s fuel use records.
- We determine typical passenger numbers, bags, and cargo on board using our weight and balance records for that flight.
- We allocate the total flight emissions to individual customers based on their cabin and baggage; infants are not included in the emissions shown
These emissions are estimates only and the actual emissions emitted per passenger on a specific flight may differ. This is because estimates are based on historical data, aircraft type and typical numbers of passengers, bags and cargo, which may vary.
Flying results in both CO2 and non-CO2 emissions being created, which both have impacts on the climate.
There is currently scientific uncertainty how to effectively mitigate the climate impacts of non-CO2 emissions from aviation sources. To better understand our non-CO2 climate impacts and the opportunities to mitigate them, we’re working with organisations such as Breakthrough Energy, the UK's Jet Zero Council, and researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Leeds. Our collaboration with the scientific community and other partners aims to help reduce the uncertainties associated with non-CO2 impacts so that BA and the whole of the aviation industry can better understand the opportunities for improvement.
Given that the relative scale of non-CO2 impact is uncertain and subject to ongoing research, we are using a radiative forcing index of 1, which means that the non-CO2 effects are not included in the calculation of your estimated footprint.
Hydrogen powered aircraft
We support the development of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source because we believe it has the potential to enable us to reach true zero emissions when in flight or transit, on short-haul routes by 2050. That’s why we’ve invested in ZeroAvia – a leading innovator in decarbonising commercial aviation. It is aiming to accelerate the development of 50+ seater aircraft capable of running on zero emissions hydrogen-electric power. In January 2023, ZeroAvia completed the world’s first hydrogen-electric fuel cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft.
Support climate projects
Learn more about your carbon footprint and contribute to climate projects.
Waste
We’re committed to protecting the environment, eliminating single-use plastic where more sustainable alternatives exist and reducing food waste. Working towards implementing a circular economy, we aim to keep our resources in use for as long as possible through product design, re-use and recycling and through partnerships with our suppliers.
We’re delighted to have been recognised for our onboard recycling initiatives at the 2024 SEAL Business Sustainability Awards, which honour leadership, innovation and commitment to sustainable business practices.
Single-use plastic
We’re working to reduce single-use plastic where possible and we’re collaborating with our suppliers to identify sustainable alternatives, like bamboo and paper. From removing plastic blanket wrappings from our flights to introducing duvets made from recycled plastic, we’re dedicated to finding innovative solutions that are better for the environment.
Food waste
Reducing food waste means less pressure on natural resources, water supplies and land where food is grown, as well as cutting greenhouse gas emissions from production, transportation and disposal. Behind the scenes, we’re working to influence UK Government policy and regulation to allow more sustainable ways to divert food waste from landfill and incineration.
Environmental Management
Achieving excellence in environmental compliance is fundamental to our BA Better World Programme. In November 2023, we undertook a rigorous external environmental system certification process with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), successfully completing the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) Stage 2. This achievement demonstrates our dedication to robust compliance and adhering to environmental regulations.
The IEnvA environmental management system is based on a Plan, Do, Check and Act cycle. The associated policies, objectives, procedures and plans ensures that an organisation is continually reviewing, evaluating and improving its environmental performance. This includes complying with legal and other obligations, developing processes to report environmental incidents, conducting and receiving training on environmental topics, participating in internal audits and evaluating and addressing findings as required.
Wildlife
Buckingham Palace Declaration
As part of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, we support the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. We’re committed to developing a secure system to share information and credible intelligence with customs and law enforcement agencies about high-risk routes and methods of transportation. This also allows us to reserve the right to refuse cargo suspected of containing illegal wildlife or products.
Animal welfare
We’ve partnered with the Born Free Foundation, a world-renowned and respected animal protection and conservation charity, to underpin and support our animal protection policy. Since 1984, Born Free have worked across the world to preserve and protect wildlife in its natural habitat.
Discover more
BA Better World
Taking significant and urgent action to address aviation’s impacts is critical to make our industry much more sustainable in the long term. That’s why we’re committed to our BA Better World programme – and to innovating to drive continual improvement in our environmental, social and governance business performance.
People
We care about our people and value their contributions to our business. Creating a diverse and inclusive workplace contributes to a sense of wellbeing and belonging, enabling our world-class colleagues to thrive.
Responsible Business
Committed to maintaining the highest standard of corporate governance, driving performance responsibly, and striving to make customer experiences more sustainable and inclusive, we create opportunities in the communities where we operate, whilst also using our unique skills to support those affected by crisis.