Your Flight Carbon Footprint on Arrival

Welcome to Your Destination. The Local Time Is 11:00 AM. We’ve Burned 10,000 Litres of Fuel.

We’ve all heard the familiar line on landing:

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to your destination. The local time is 11:00 AM, and the outside temperature is 24 degrees Celsius.”

But what if airlines added one more simple fact:

“On this flight, we’ve used 10,000 litres of fuel. That equates to approximately 0.26 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per passenger, including the full climate impact of emissions at high altitude.”

It’s not a warning. It’s not political. It’s not emotional. It’s just the data and perhaps it’s time to include it in the conversation.

.

The Carbon Cost of a Typical Holiday Flight

Let’s take a common scenario: a mid-range European holiday flight on a Boeing 737-800. It’s the workhorse of short- and mid-haul air travel — used widely by Ryanair, TUI, Jet2, and others.

Flight Assumptions:

• Aircraft: Boeing 737-800

• Flight time: ~3.5 hours

• Route example: Manchester to Tenerife (~3,000 km)

• Passenger load: ~180 people

• Fuel consumed: ~10,000 litres of Jet A1

• CO₂ emissions from fuel: ~25 tonnes per flight

• CO₂ per passenger (direct emissions): ~139 kg

• CO₂e per passenger (with Radiative Forcing): ~264 kg

Radiative Forcing (RF) is the multiplier used to reflect the additional climate impact of emissions at altitude. Water vapour, contrails, and nitrogen oxides all have greater warming effects when released into the upper atmosphere. The UK Government and EU both recommend including RF in carbon calculations for aviation.

.

Pilots Know Exactly How Much Fuel Was Burned

Every flight begins and ends with precise knowledge of fuel levels. The fuel gauge is a critical cockpit instrument, as essential as altitude, airspeed, and heading.

• Pilots know how much fuel was onboard at take-off

• They know how much remains at landing

• They already report fuel consumption in post-flight checks

So relaying this information to the cabin crew, and including it in the arrival announcement would be easy. The technology and data are already there. What’s missing is the will.

.

Why Airlines May Be Reluctant

It’s understandable that airlines may consider fuel consumption a commercially or reputationally sensitive topic. Most prefer to highlight their sustainability pledges, investments in newer aircraft, or the availability of carbon offset options not the hard numbers on fuel burned.

Having staff broadcast emissions on every landing might seem counterproductive to customer experience or marketing.

It’s unlikely this will happen voluntarily at scale. But a simple nudge from regulation, perhaps from the UK Government or European Union, could change that.

Much like nutrition labels on food or efficiency ratings on fridges, mandated transparency often precedes market innovation and consumer awareness.

.

And What About Cruise Ships?

This idea isn’t just for aviation.

Cruise ships also burn significant fuel each day often using heavy fuel oil, with emissions running into tens or even hundreds of tonnes of CO₂ daily for large vessels.

A similar system could be introduced for daily cruise announcements:

“We’ve travelled 220 nautical miles today, consuming 120 tonnes of fuel. That equates to approximately 2.5 tonnes of CO₂ per passenger for the day.”

Again, not a deterrent just a data point. One that adds context to the experience.

.

The Bigger Picture

Air travel and cruises aren’t going away. Nor should they. Both industries support livelihoods, economies, and human connection. But their climate impact is real and growing.

And while technology will play a role from Sustainable Aviation Fuel to cleaner ships behaviour and awareness remain the most immediate levers we can pull.

What if:

• We flew less often but stayed longer?

• We chose trains for short-haul journeys?

• We asked for carbon data before booking?

• We rewarded low-carbon operators with our custom?

Information helps us make better decisions, whether we choose to act on them today, next year, or in five years.

.

It’s Time to Include Carbon in the Arrival Message

A simple addition to the script:

“Welcome to Faro. We’ve landed on time, having consumed around 10,000 litres of fuel. That’s approximately 0.26 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per passenger, including the climate impact of high-altitude emissions.”

Not a guilt trip. Not a lecture. Just a number. And maybe the beginning of a more carbon-literate travel culture.

.

What Do You Think?

• Should airlines and cruise operators include fuel and carbon information in announcements?

• Would this change how often or how far you travel?

• Is your business ready to include travel emissions, and their full climate impact, in your reporting?

Let’s talk.

.

While You Are Here…

Why not use one or all of Bryce Energy Services free online calculators.

Carbon Footprint — Solar Panels — Electric Chargers — ISO 50001 Gap Analysis

Or demonstrate your business is environmentally and socially responsible, with the CSR Accreditation.

Try our ‘new’ New Vehicle Carbon Footprint Calculator now.