ATO Sustainability Statement

Like saving energy and water at home, the first step towards sustainable aviation is to improve the way we use and reuse resources today. The efficient usage of resources, such as fuel, aircraft and spare parts, or airport ground services, results in less energy to provide safe and reliable air mobility to passengers and cargo items, meeting the present's mobility needs without compromising the goals of future generations. To start this process today, we must consider current technology and challenge how we can optimise its use. The Air Transport and Operations (ATO) is making use of cutting-edge technology from artificial intelligence such as data-driven methods, machine learning, agent-based modelling, and multi-objective optimization to promote sustainable developments in its three dimensions: environment, social, and economics.  For example, ATO is proposing solutions to schedule the maintenance of aircraft components based on updated health estimations to keep aircraft and its components in service longer; optimising ground and in-flight operations to reduce the overuse of resources, the environmental impact of these operations, and mitigate disruptions in passengers' itineraries; and improving air transport operations safety by predicting safety precursors and modelling potential accidents.

Sustainable aviation is only possible with the acceptance and integration of new sustainable solutions. More efficient innovative aircraft designs, green fuels, or  alternative operations can only be a sustainable option if they are accepted by stakeholders and end up being used in practice. Only the most promising solutions, the ones that represent an economic and operational advantage to operators while answering society's future needs and not compromising safety goals, will be gradually integrated into practice. With this perspective, ATO is studying, for instance, the feasibility for airlines to operate new aircraft design concepts or aircraft powered by alternative fuels, challenging the design concepts and their operational requirements. Similarly, ATO is analysing electric taxiing technologies to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during ground operations. ATO is also considering the growing individual mobility needs and the increasing interest in urban air mobility. The group is evaluating its operational, safety, and environmental challenges while studying its integration into the existing mobility system.

The commitment of ATO to sustainable aviation starts today, providing a critical analysis of the current and future technologies that will respond to our future sustainability needs of our planet.