Long-haul flights – small changes with a big climate impact

Long-haul flights carry only around 10 percent of all passengers each year but generate approximately 40 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions due to air transport. This is due to the long distances and flight times involved. Even small changes in flight altitude and airspeed, together with the choice of energy source, can significantly reduce their climate impact. In addition, aircraft specially designed for flight at different altitudes will also make a decisive contribution to climate compatibility on long-haul routes. Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) have arrived at these conclusions as part of the KuuL (Klimafreundlicher ultra-effizienter Langstreckenflug; climate-friendly ultra-efficient long-haul flight) project. This work is part of DLR's extensive research commitment in line with its aviation strategy for climate-compatible flight.