Each new generation of jet plane consumes up to 25 per cent less fuel and produces 25 per cent less carbon dioxide. We can therefore radically reduce our emissions by flying new planes.

“95 per cent of airline emissions come from engines during flight. The most important thing an airline can do for the environment is to fly with modern planes that generate fewer emissions,”, says Kati Ihamäki, Finnair Vice President for Sustainable Development.

We are constantly renewing our fleet and the average age of our planes is no more than six years. Of all the full-service airlines, Finnair flies its scheduled flights with one of the most modern fleets in the world.

Our current fleet consists primarily of new Airbus aircraft. For long-distance flights, we use Airbus A330-300 and A340-300 wide-body aircraft. For domestic and European flights, we use Airbus A320 aircraft, and for shorter routes, Embraer 170 and 190 aircraft.

At the end of 2010, our long-distance fleet consisted of 15 modern Airbus wide-body aircraft. By the middle of this decade the core of our fleet will consist of new Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, of which 11 have already been ordered.

The more environmentally friendly Airbus aircraft will replace the last few Boeing 757-200 aircraft now being used for our leisure flights. In the spring of 2010, we reduced the number of Boeing aircraft used for leisure flights to three and the four remaining aircraft will be taken out of service in the near future.

The determined renewal of the fleet will directly affect our emissions. Between the years 1999 and 2009, our emissions were reduced by 22 per cent per seat, and at our current rate of fleet renewal, we will reach our objective of reducing our emissions by a total of 41 per cent by 2017.

A recent report measuring environmental effects by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) sets Finnair clearly above all other airlines from the Nordic countries. Even on a global scale, Finnair’s score secures the airline a spot among the elite.

We have already been reporting the environmental effects of our operations to the CDP for three years. The report gathers information on greenhouse gas emissions generated by companies, as well as information on the strategies to reduce those emissions, so that companies and decision-makers can move toward mitigating climate change with their activities.

In the most recent report, our score on the CDLi (Carbon Disclosure Leadership index) nearly doubled from that of last year to 61 points.

“The airlines with the best performance levels achieved more than 60 points, which means Finnair is among the best airlines in Europe,” says Kati Ihamäki.

These fantastic results are based on persistent, target-oriented work over the past two decades. Once the renewal of our long-distance fleet is complete, it will be one of the most modern fleets in the world. This translates directly into reduced emissions, as the new aircraft produce fewer emissions than the old ones.

In addition, our Asia to Europe strategy is very effective from the perspective of the environment, thanks to the geographically convenient location of Finland. The stopover in Helsinki reduces emissions by allowing passengers to take the shortest route to Asia. This makes it a sensible, environmentally friendly option when flying from nearly all Asian destinations to Western Europe.

Airlines are responsible for their own emissions, but it is customers who select a responsible airline.

“At Finnair, we think that airlines are clearly responsible for the emissions they generate. This is why we are more strongly advocating the global emission trading system and more rigid emission reduction targets than many other companies,” Ihamäki says.

Flying produces emissions, but everybody has the possibility to choose the airline and route that produces the fewest emissions possible. There are also other ways in which our passengers can make a difference. They can, for instance, donate the points accrued from flying to charity.

In addition to the CDP report, we give an account of the environmental effects of our operations via our Corporate Responsibility Reports and our Emissions Calculator.

Further information:

• Emissions Calculator
• Corporate Responsibility Report 2011

The geographical location of Finland is often considered distant and remote. For the purposes of air traffic, however, the location could not be better. Flying via Helsinki is the most direct route from many European cities to the most important Asian destinations. The same applies to flight traffic between Southeast Asia and North America.

When you fly via Helsinki, you save both time and the environment.

The route via Helsinki is often ecologically the most sensible way to travel to Asia. For example, a flight from Berlin to Tokyo via Helsinki produces 84 kg fewer carbon dioxide emissions per passenger than flying via Frankfurt.

Flying between Asia and Europe via Helsinki means constantly flying in the right direction along the northern route. The direct route saves time and fuel and causes fewer emissions. It is also very important on long flights that the stopover is made in the correct place. This creates fewer emissions as less fuel is consumed.

Flying through Helsinki also means fluent stopovers and new, high-quality airport services. The compact size, great services and three runways of Helsinki Airport make it an excellent choice for quick and comfortable travel. In passenger surveys, Helsinki Airport scores among the best in Europe.

Further information:

• The Via Helsinki website