Reinforcing its commitment to sustainability through adopting and promoting environmentally-friendly practices in aviation industry, Qatar’s national carrier – Qatar Airways – has now joined the Global Coalition for Sustainable Aviation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Qatar Airways is the first airline in the Middle East to join the global coalition. It will work together with the relevant industry stakeholders, such as manufacturers, academia, governments and non-government organisations towards aviation decarbonisation and promoting sustainable air transport.
Qatar Airways has always been a leader in promoting sustainability with a number of initiatives launched in past years. Qatar Airways operates one of the youngest fleets in the sky. The airline’s mix of modern fuel-efficient aircraft helped it to develop a sustainable and adapted solution, allowing it to continue flying routes with less overall demand as it has a variety of aircraft it can select from, to offer the right capacity in each market.
Qatar Airways passengers also have the opportunity to voluntarily offset the carbon emissions associated with their journey at the point of booking. In February 2020, at the CAPA Qatar Aviation, Aeropolitical & Regulatory Summit, the ‘Doha Declaration’ highlighted the growing need for sustainable operations and engaging stakeholders to act collectively to address climate change and promote sustainability in the aviation industry.
In 2019, Qatar Airways launched its Quisine on-board dining experience, with an increased focus on reducing single-use plastics. Qatar Airways was also the first airline in the world to use General Electric’s (GE) ‘360 Foam Wash’ technology on its aircraft, replacing traditional water wash methods on GE engines. The ICAO Global Coalition promotes sustainable international aviation, acting as a forum through which stakeholders can develop new ideas and accelerate innovative solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the source.
Its focus areas include, raising awareness of the continuing progress made towards in-sector CO2 emissions reduction from international aviation, building on existing leaderships and champions, as well as strengthening current partnerships and innovations. Meanwhile, in a major milestone in global fight against coronvirus pandemic, Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s leading air cargo carrier, has transported more than 250 million COVID-19 vaccines.
Since the start of vaccine delivery, the cargo carrier has been playing an instrumental role in helping transport vital supplies to impacted countries and communities globally. Earlier this year in February, Qatar Airways Cargo, the freight division of Qatar Airways, had also signed an MoU with UNICEF for a five-year period to support UNICEF’s Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative.
