Scandinavia’s SAS is to introduce a new carbon-offset scheme which will encompass all tickets booked through its loyalty programme EuroBonus.
The company says the scheme, which commences on 1 February, will mean 40% of all passenger-related carbon dioxide emissions will be offset.
SAS had indicated such plans in its newly-published sustainability report for 2017-18, following its decision to offset all youth tickets from April last year. The company already offsets its own business trips.
The company aims to cut total carbon emissions by 25% by 2030, compared with 2005, a measure which, it says, “goes beyond” targets set by IATA.
“We reckon that around half of these reductions will be achieved through fleet renewal and other improvements, and the rest through the adoption of biofuels,” states the sustainability report.
SAS has offered customers carbon-offset options since 2005, and it says offsetting covers almost 4% of its passenger carbon dioxide emissions, through investment in third-party renewable energy projects in Asia.
It says it will “improve the usability” of its offsetting option by integrating it into its online booking flow this year.
SAS had been considering extending offset programmes to other passenger groups. Its EuroBonus programme has 5.6 million members.
“Our most loyal customers and frequent flyers share our wish for more sustainable travel,” says SAS chief executive Rickard Gustafson.
Over the 2017-18 fiscal year SAS put environmental-related costs at SKr1.69 billion ($187 million), including travel taxes and charges associated with aircraft performance.
SAS also expensed emission rights under the European Union’s emissions-trading scheme amounting to SKr110 million.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
