Air New Zealand has launched its ambitious zero-emissions aircraft programme, hoping to start replacing its domestic fleet by 2030.
Air NZ will be teaming up with aircraft developers worldwide in what's being labelled as Mission Next Generation Aircraft, where the airline will attempt to achieve two specific goals.
The company hopes to fly its first commercial demonstrator flight by 2026 and to start replacing its domestic fleet with more sustainable aircraft in 2030.
Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran hopes this will make the airline company a world leader in sustainable travel.
"We have bold sustainability goals. Conventional business processes are not going to address the technology or infrastructure required to meet them," Foran said.
"We want to lead the rollout of zero-emission aircraft and will work alongside aircraft developers, innovators and infrastructure providers to give them the confidence they're developing a product that's a viable option for us."
"The next three years will be focused on supporting the building, testing and certifying of aircraft and associated infrastructure. By 2026, we're aiming to have our first zero emissions aircraft – either cargo or passenger – take flight in New Zealand."
Foran said he hopes the lessons learnt from flying a plane with "next generation" propulsion technology will pave the way for their long-term green hydrogen and hybrid partners to deliver an aircraft that can replace their Q300 domestic fleet.
"We're breaking new ground here – it's not just the aircraft that needs to be developed, but also the infrastructure and regulation required to fly commercially."
"We know these goals are ambitious, but ambition is exactly what is required to make this new technology a reality," Foran said.
Foran said New Zealand was a perfect country to develop zero-emissions aircraft because of its already-existing sustainable power infrastructure.
"We mainly operate short-range routes up and down the country. New Zealand is largely built on renewable electricity generation – it's an ideal landscape to adopt zero-emission aircraft," he said.
Foran acknowledged that his company's plans are ambitious and said that the airline industry would have to work together as a whole to achieve its goals.
"But we can't do it alone. It will take the minds of many within the industry to find the right solution. The technology is getting there, it just needs to be developed to a scale we can roll out across our network. It's a wicked problem to solve, but we're two feet in," he said.
He said that while new technology will help to decarbonise the airline's domestic routes, reducing emissions for long-haul flights is also essential.
In their 2022 sustainability report, Air New Zealand said they were responsible for 2.1 million tonnes of carbon emissions, with 70 per cent coming from jet fuel.
SHARE ME