What airlines can do to limit emissions

On the operational front, airlines can:

• employing single-engine taxi procedures during normal operations and selective engine shutdown during ground delays
• reducing and measuring more accurately onboard weight while redistributing belly cargo
• tankering extra fuel on certain flights to avoid refueling at more expensive locations - but this increases emissions
• cruising longer at higher altitudes and employing shorter, steeper approaches

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In terms of planning for fuel usage, airlines are:

• optimizing flight planning for minimum fuel-burn routes and altitudes
• working with FAA to change en-route fuel reserve requirements to reflect state-of-the-art navigation, communication, surveillance and wind forecast systems
• employing self-imposed ground delays to reduce airborne holding
• modernizing their fleets with more fuel-efficient airplanes
• investing in winglets to reduce aircraft drag and thereby increase fuel conservation
• redesigning hubs and schedules to alleviate congestion
• advocating expanded and improved airfield capacity
• using airport power rather than onboard auxiliary power units (APUs) when at the gates
• changing paint schemes to minimize heat absorption (which requires additional cooling)
• altering the location in which fuel is purchased (i.e., to avoid higher-priced west coast)
• pooling resources to purchase fuel in bulk through alliances with other carriers