Alina Oprea • 17 January, 2024 at 2:09 PM
Wizz Air has reported that its average carbon emissions for 2023 reached 51.5 grams per passenger/kilometre, 6.8% less than in 2022. This is the best annual average result for carbon intensity ever recorded by the airline in a calendar year. Wizz Air specifies that in February 2023 it achieved the lowest carbon emissions ever reported per passenger/kilometre in a month, 48.9 grams, representing an 8.3% reduction compared to the same month in 2022.
"Wizz Air is committed to further reducing CO2 intensity by 25% by 2030. An integral element of the airline's sustainability strategy is the renewal of its fleet. Wizz Air has continuously expanded its fleet, replacing older aircraft with the latest technology by adding 32 of the newest and most sustainable Airbus A321neo aircraft in 2023. The airline currently operates 195 medium-age Airbus aircraft of 4.3 years, well below the average age of the European aviation industry of approximately 10 years", announces the company.
As part of its sustainability strategy, Wizz Air has partnered with two sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producers in 2023: Neste and Cepsa. To further support the development of SAF, the airline has made its first equity investment of £5 million in Firefly Green Fuels, a UK biofuels company, and participated in a $50 million investment Americans in CleanJoule, a US-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) start-up.
In May 2023, Wizz Air became the first Hungarian airline to commercially test the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) together with MOL, operating five flights from Budapest Airport with a 35% SAF blend.
During 2023, Wizz Air started fully electric handling operations at Rome Fiumicino Airport, together with Aviation Services, and at Budapest Airport, together with Menzies Aviation. The initiatives enable the reduction of CO2 emissions from the ground handling process by up to 80-85% per aircraft compared to the use of diesel engine equipment.