Strategic Alliance for Sustainability: Academia and Industry Unite in Pioneering Effort to Slash Emissions in Airport Operations
“Addressing the future challenges faced by the aviation industry will require high degrees of collaboration to develop integrated solutions. This is an excellent example of industry and academia working together to understand the real issues and find opportunities to move forward in a viable and sustainable way.”
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A pioneering collaboration has commenced between Regional & City Airports (RCA), global travel company TUI, and Cranfield University. The objective of this collaboration is to explore ways to minimize the environmental footprint associated with aircraft turnarounds at airports.
The study specifically concentrates on the decarbonization of ground operations and aims to reduce the overall environmental impact. This will be achieved by analyzing TUI aircraft turnarounds at Exeter Airport in Devon, UK, which is owned by RCA.
Experts from Cranfield University’s Centre for Air Transport Management, with a longstanding focus on aviation and the environment, are utilizing data from TUI, airport vehicle usage data, and other information sources to establish an 'emissions inventory' of ground operations.
This in-depth examination of various aspects of the turnaround aims to fill a gap in existing research. It seeks to identify opportunities for immediate emissions reductions and highlight areas that may require more substantial changes in the future, potentially involving new technologies.
Given the projected 85 million global air traffic movements in 2022, the outcomes of this project could carry significant implications for the worldwide aviation industry.
Professor Anna Smallwood, Head of the Centre for Air Transport Management at Cranfield University, expressed, “Addressing the future challenges faced by the aviation industry will require high degrees of collaboration to develop integrated solutions. This is an excellent example of industry and academia working together to understand the real issues and find opportunities to move forward in a viable and sustainable way.”
Dr. Thomas Budd, Senior Lecturer and DARTeC Fellow in Airport Planning and Management at Cranfield University highlighted the significance of examining a key part of the aviation ecosystem to reduce turnaround emissions. He emphasized that understanding emissions creation would provide clarity on impactful mitigating measures, serving as a stepping stone for further decarbonization of airport operations.
Andrew Bell, Chief Executive of Regional & City Airports, emphasized the importance of collaboration in driving innovation across the industry. He noted that the project aligns with RCA's commitment to make their airport operations net zero by 2040.
Dawn Wilson, Chief Operating Officer of TUI Airline, described the collaboration as a crucial step in their net-zero journey and commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of travel. She highlighted TUI Airline's continuous investment in new aircraft and their goal to further reduce emissions through collaboration with RCA and Cranfield University at Exeter Airport.
In the coming months, Exeter Airport will serve as a living laboratory for Cranfield's experts to examine aircraft turnarounds in detail. The study will involve tracking every aspect of the ground handling process, measuring emissions impacts using TUI's passenger flights. The next phase will explore potential mitigations, including the use of electric and alternative-fueled airside assets, and operational measures. The study is expected to report its findings next year
