Sustainability is the watchword at GBTA

SUSTAINABILITY took centre stage at the GBTA Conference in Munich in November, as delegates addressed the urgent need to adopt more environmentally friendly practices.

Travel managers, TMCS and airlines aired their views, all espousing the need for action, but a show of hands revealed only a small minority of delegates have sustainable travel policies in place. Lonneke de Kort of bookdifferent.com said the WWF operates its travel policy with both monetary and CO2 emissions budgets, and that while “many companies offset air emissions, reducing emissions should be the goal”.

“Try and avoid travel before thinking about compensating it, and make the most sustainable options your preferred suppliers,” she advised. “That helps incentivise them too.”

United Airline’s Jake Cefolia told delegates that the carrier was concentrating on mitigating emissions using biofuels rather than offsetting. It is the only US airline to use biofuel in its regular operations, including to help sustainably power every flight from its Los Angeles hub.

Lufthansa’s Jurgen Siebenrock said the airline has not seen any evidence of ‘flygskam’ – flight-shaming – in the form of passenger traffic decline as has been seen in Sweden.

Boeing’s Randy Tinseth said: “I don’t think anyone should be ashamed of flying,” adding that there is no alternative to flying for around 80% of all flights. Tinseth said that while Boeing is investing in making more environmentally friendly aircraft, governments also need to take responsibility and invest in alternatives fuels and better airspace management.

A poll of attendees showed 69% were confident in the industry’s ability to make the future more sustainable.