For many of us, 2023 will bring new challenges, especially those linked to the energy crisis and the tensions in the world we live in. The entire aviation and tourism industry will again be heavily impacted. Moreover, our industry, as any other responsible industry, has to prepare the climate transition while keeping its social model and the capacity to invest in our future.
This crisis will lead to increased prices for the whole of our industry. Nonetheless, Luxair and LuxairTours promise two things: on the one hand, they will do their utmost to maintain prices in line with the high level of service and excellence, like they have always done; on the other, once the booking is confirmed by the passenger, the price will not change.
Luxair, as a responsible airline, is committed to investing in environmental protection and contributing to limit its environmental footprint as much as possible, even beyond regulatory requirements. In 2023, Luxair will further develop its efforts to reducing its environmental imprint and achieving the goal of “Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050,” together with its industry.
Goals to reduce carbon emissions
In October 2021, at the Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) held in Boston, Luxair announced its support of the decisions taken following the meeting by committing itself to ensure sustainable flights by 2050 and by gradually reducing its CO2 emissions. Luxair and the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) also reaffirmed their support for the promise of “Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
In February 2022, at the Aviation Summit in Toulouse, several themes and measures with the common objective of decarbonising aviation in a sustainable way were discussed. On this occasion, the “Toulouse Declaration” on the future sustainability and decarbonisation of aviation was launched, which ERA, including Luxair as a member, endorsed and affirmed once again their support for the promise “Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050,” in particular by gradually reducing its CO2 emissions.
Steps have already been made by Luxair. The first one towards this achievement was made in June 2022 when it introduced the “carbon offset” program for business class flights and flights in Excellence packages booked with LuxairTours, by contributing to three certified projects by Verra VCS and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) aiming at developing sustainable management of renewable energy, forest conservation in South-East Asia (in Katingan Peatland located in Indonesia, supporting the improved cooking stove industry in Rwanda) and improvement of the living conditions of local communities while reducing the demand for biomass.
Further steps to significantly increase our CO2 reduction efforts will be done by refleeting our current fleet, knowing that modern technologies are about 20% more efficient than our current planes. This will also have a significant impact on our cost models, and given the savings mentioned above, will contribute to maintaining our social model.
Consumption that is socially and economically responsible
But Luxair isn’t stopping there. As an environmentally responsible company, it is also important to reduce as much as possible its energy consumption throughout its buildings, as a whole. In 2012, LuxairCARGO decided to join the Lean & Green movement, and in five years, a 33.3% of reduction was achieved, leading to a first star. The second star was attributed to LuxairCARGO in 2022, when, in three years, an additional 30% reduction of CO2 consumption was achieved. LuxairCARGO is on the way to its third one, with the goal of further reducing its CO2 in maximum two years (35%), with its action plan implemented to reduce energy consumption within the scope of energy sobriety.
All of the above being said, we are conscious that climate change will affect all of us and that, as a society, we all need to act together. Flying should not become a convenience and the whole of our consumption should be socially and economically responsible. Aviation contributes highly to the overall economy of Luxembourg and maintains over 20,000 jobs directly or indirectly linked to Findel. Luxair has an important role to play in maintaining these jobs, and Luxair is heavily investing in our company and our model and the quality of our services. We count on the Greater Region to recognise these efforts and help us keep Luxair socially and environmentally sustainable.