br8fmr
10th Sep 2008, 07:39
from the telegraph
Flights are set to become shorter as airlines change their routes in order to save fuel.
By David Millward, Transport Editor
Last Updated: 5:37PM BST 09 Sep 2008
Journeys within Europe could become three to four minutes quicker and as much as 18 minutes could be shaved from a trip from London to New York.
The move follows an agreement between the airlines trade body, the International Air Transport Association, IATA, and air traffic controllers.
It is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to help airlines, which are facing losses of around £3 billion this year, bring down their fuel bills.
IATA believes that the average flight in Europe is about 30 miles longer than necessary because of detours planes have to take for a variety of reasons – including avoiding military airspace.
The industry hopes to reach agreement with the armed forces across the world which would enable civil aircraft to use military airspace at certain times.
Other initiatives include better route planning. "It could be taking corners tighter," said Dave Behrens, IATA's head of infrastructure strategy.
Pilots are now also being encouraged to cut back on the throttle as planes come in to land.
This is seen as a more fuel-efficient alternative to a "stepped descent", which is a thirstier way of bringing a plane into an airport.
The industry wants to reduce the amount of time planes spend taxiing on the ground which, apart from saving fuel, would reduce the frustration faced by passengers.
Airlines would also like to see speed limits below 10,000 feet raised to enable planes to reach their fuel-efficient cruising altitude sooner.
The plans were welcomed by Steve Ridgway, Virgin Atlantic's chief executive.
"Initiatives like this will help airlines and their service providers to achieve real fuel savings," he said.
The shortcut proposals are just the latest in a series of drastic measures being taken by carriers who have grounded planes over the winter and dumped whatever they can in excess weight to make aircraft more fuel efficient.
British Airways, for example, is carrying less "tap water" in its tanks because of passengers' preference for the bottled alternative.
It has also cut the number of oxygen cylinders on board as well as stripping paint off aircraft when the come in for a refit – which can shed 400 kilos of the weight of a 747.
Ryanair tries to keep the weight of its aircraft down by discouraging passengers from checking bags into the hold.
It also monitors the fuel use of its pilots, employing a member of staff to run a "league table" to minimise waste and keep the aircraft as light as possible.
Emirates is considering cutting back on some of its in-flight literature, including the shopping catalogue to lose weight.
The soaring cost of oil has crippled the aviation industry with more than two dozen airlines going bust over the past 12 months.
They include Zoom, a hitherto profitable carrier which failed last month and three business class only airlines which flew between London and New York: MaxJet, Eos and Silverjet.
Flights are set to become shorter as airlines change their routes in order to save fuel.
By David Millward, Transport Editor
Last Updated: 5:37PM BST 09 Sep 2008
Journeys within Europe could become three to four minutes quicker and as much as 18 minutes could be shaved from a trip from London to New York.
The move follows an agreement between the airlines trade body, the International Air Transport Association, IATA, and air traffic controllers.
It is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to help airlines, which are facing losses of around £3 billion this year, bring down their fuel bills.
IATA believes that the average flight in Europe is about 30 miles longer than necessary because of detours planes have to take for a variety of reasons – including avoiding military airspace.
The industry hopes to reach agreement with the armed forces across the world which would enable civil aircraft to use military airspace at certain times.
Other initiatives include better route planning. "It could be taking corners tighter," said Dave Behrens, IATA's head of infrastructure strategy.
Pilots are now also being encouraged to cut back on the throttle as planes come in to land.
This is seen as a more fuel-efficient alternative to a "stepped descent", which is a thirstier way of bringing a plane into an airport.
The industry wants to reduce the amount of time planes spend taxiing on the ground which, apart from saving fuel, would reduce the frustration faced by passengers.
Airlines would also like to see speed limits below 10,000 feet raised to enable planes to reach their fuel-efficient cruising altitude sooner.
The plans were welcomed by Steve Ridgway, Virgin Atlantic's chief executive.
"Initiatives like this will help airlines and their service providers to achieve real fuel savings," he said.
The shortcut proposals are just the latest in a series of drastic measures being taken by carriers who have grounded planes over the winter and dumped whatever they can in excess weight to make aircraft more fuel efficient.
British Airways, for example, is carrying less "tap water" in its tanks because of passengers' preference for the bottled alternative.
It has also cut the number of oxygen cylinders on board as well as stripping paint off aircraft when the come in for a refit – which can shed 400 kilos of the weight of a 747.
Ryanair tries to keep the weight of its aircraft down by discouraging passengers from checking bags into the hold.
It also monitors the fuel use of its pilots, employing a member of staff to run a "league table" to minimise waste and keep the aircraft as light as possible.
Emirates is considering cutting back on some of its in-flight literature, including the shopping catalogue to lose weight.
The soaring cost of oil has crippled the aviation industry with more than two dozen airlines going bust over the past 12 months.
They include Zoom, a hitherto profitable carrier which failed last month and three business class only airlines which flew between London and New York: MaxJet, Eos and Silverjet.