Airline easyJet is the first company in the world to use a new paint system with a lower volume of modern lightweight paints in the long term, aiming to reduce fuel consumption and consequently reduce carbon emissions. The solution was developed with MAAS Aviation, which paints aircraft at its Maastricht facility with Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings’ colours in the well-known white and orange easyJet design. So far, the new paint has been applied to 38 easyJet aircraft, and the entire fleet is due to be repainted gradually by 2030. Although the weight reduction of 27 kilograms per aircraft is relatively modest, it is planned that after applying the new paint solution to all aircraft in the fleet, cumulative annual fuel savings of 1,296 tonnes, equivalent to 4,095 tonnes of carbon dioxide, will be achieved.
The use of lighter paints is one of a number of activities that easyJet is pursuing to reduce the weight of its aircraft, along with fleet renewal, other operational efficiencies and airspace modernisation, all with the aim of reducing carbon emissions. As a result, the airline has already successfully reduced its carbon emissions by a third per passenger, per kilometre. easyJet says it is constantly researching and developing new innovative solutions to reduce the impact of its operations and its responsibility towards sustainability and the environment. This is part of easyJet’s ambition to decarbonise the aviation sector by reducing its own carbon emissions by 35% by 2035 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
