Green and getting greener
Boeing’s new 787 is considered the state of the art when it comes to environmentally friendly aircraft but the airline industry is looking forward to even more environmentally friendly fuels to reduce the carbon footprint of flying.
The Dreamliner follows in the lower-carbon contrails of the Airbus A380 “super jumbo”, which was launched in 2007. When full – typically with about 470 seats – the A380 burns 17 per cent less fuel per seat than other large aircraft and produces only 75g of CO2 per passenger per km (most cars produce at least 130g and the Boeing 747 around 101g of CO2 per passenger per km). It also produces 75 per cent less noise than its current Boeing rivals.
The urge for more efficient aircraft is driven partly by the desire to control fluctuating high fuel costs and also by the fact that a commercially viable biofuel that can entirely replace kerosene remains a distant prospect. But while IATA has set 2050 as the year by which it wants to see a carbon-free aircraft flying commercially, it does expect to certify an as yet unspecified biofuel for use in kerosene blends in commercial flights this year.
Are we getting more security and poorer health?
New health concerns are surfacing about whole-body scanners being raced into service at our airports. Plus, security programs that require passengers to remain seated for long periods of time are dangerous for blood clotting problems.
Passengers who are overweight, have a history of blood clotting or are recovering from surgery face a greater risk of deep-vein thrombosis when they sit in a cramped airline seat for too long, which can hamper blood flow to the legs, said Peter Lawrence, chief of vascular surgery at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
A thrombosis occurs when a clot forms in a vein, leading to pain and swelling. If the clot breaks loose, it can travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism, he said.
More flights coming but more fees as well in 2010
David Grossman of USA Today explores eight factors that will change air travel in the coming year. He sees capacity increases, fewer business- and first-class travelers, new fees, new rules, fewer regional flights, wifi in the air, the return of registered traveler and an increase in virtual meetings.
While 2010 fare hikes are uncertain, ancillary fees for checked luggage, premium seating, pillows and more may top $8 billion for U.S. airlines alone in 2009 and the lucrative practice is catching on fast. Even Southwest Airlines, the lone holdout for checked luggage and most other ancillary fees, now imposes a surcharge for passengers who want to guarantee early boarding priority.
In addition to the extra cost, ancillary fees are a nuisance for expense reporting and tracking. With the spotlight on these fees, Congress is now considering a tax on this windfall revenue. Unfortunately, any taxes paid by airlines will ultimately be passed along to travelers in one form or another.
