Short-haul Flights Research Articles

Banning short-haul flights and investing in high-speed railways for a sustainable future?

Long-distance mobility sustainability, high-speed railways (HSR) decarbonization effect, and bans for short-haul flights are debated in Europe. Yet, holistic environmental assessments on these topics are scarce. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on the Paris-Bordeaux transportation options in France: HSR, plane, coach, personal car, and carpooling. The overall ranking on four environmental indicators, from best to worst, is as follows: coach, HSR, carpooling, private car, and plane. Scenario analyses showed that increasing train occupancy decreases the environmental impact of the mode (-12 %), while decreasing speed does not. Moreover, worldwide carbon footprints of electric HSR modes range 30–120 gCO2eq per passenger-kilometer traveled. Finally, a consequential LCA highlighted carbon paybacks of the HSR project. Under a business-as-usual trip substitution scenario, the HSR gets net-zero 60 years after construction. With a short-haul flight ban, it occurs after 10 years. This advocates for generalizing short-haul flight restrictions and investing in HSR infrastructure.

Multi-Modal Life Cycle Assessment of Journeys by Aircraft, Train or Passenger Car

To reduce the carbon footprint of transport, policymakers are simultaneously stimulating cleaner vehicles and more sustainable mobility choices, such as a shift to rail for short-haul flights within Europe. The purpose of this study is to determine the climate impact of a journey within Europe by aircraft, train or passenger car, and to better understand what factors drive this impact in order to make smarter and more sustainable fact-based mobility choices. The study consists of a life cycle inventory (LCI) and life cycle impact assessment (LCA) of greenhouse gas emissions of specific vehicles in five case study travel scenarios in Europe. The energy and resulting direct emissions (including non-CO2) of the aircraft scenarios were calculated for the purpose of this study using the Mission Aircraft and Systems Simulation tool developed by the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre NLR. For other LCA phases and other modes of transport, the study relies on emission factors from public literature. A trip by train results in three to five times less emissions than a comparable trip by aircraft. In most scenarios, the passenger car with two people onboard emits significantly more than a train but slightly less than an aircraft. The study also shows what drives the climate impact of such a trip and how this is very different for different modes of transport. The study further highlights a lack of high-quality data, especially in the areas of indirect emissions and infrastructure, poor consistency among studies and a general under-documentation and lack of transparency regarding assumptions.

The high-resolution Global Aviation emissions Inventory based on ADS-B (GAIA) for 2019–2021

Abstract. Aviation emissions that are dispersed into the Earth's atmosphere affect the climate and air pollution, with significant spatiotemporal variation owing to heterogeneous aircraft activity. In this paper, we use historical flight trajectories derived from Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) telemetry and reanalysis weather data for 2019–2021 to develop the Global Aviation emissions Inventory based on ADS-B (GAIA). In 2019, 40.2 million flights collectively travelled 61 billion kilometres using 283 Tg of fuel, leading to CO2, NOX and non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM) mass and number emissions of 893 Tg, 4.49 Tg, 21.4 Gg and 2.8 × 1026 respectively. Global responses to COVID-19 led to reductions in the annual flight distance flown and CO2 and NOX emissions in 2020 (−43 %, −48 % and −50 % respectively relative to 2019) and 2021 (−31 %, −41 % and −43 % respectively), with significant regional variability. Short-haul flights with durations < 3 h accounted for 83 % of all flights but only for 35 % of the 2019 CO2 emissions, while long-haul flights with durations > 6 h (5 % of all flights) were responsible for 43 % of CO2 and 49 % of NOX emissions. Globally, the actual flight trajectories flown are, on average, ∼ 5 % greater than the great circle path between the origin and destination airports, but this varies by region and flight distance. An evaluation of 8705 unique flights between London and Singapore showed large variabilities in the flight trajectory profile, fuel consumption and emission indices. GAIA captures the spatiotemporal distribution of aviation activity and emissions and is provided for use in future studies to evaluate the negative externalities arising from global aviation.

From hamburgers to holidays: Modelling the climate change impact of reducing meat consumption according to UK consumer preferences

The climate impact of food is rapidly gaining attention. Studies focus on global and national impacts, marginalising the role and preferences of individual consumers. Diet is highly personal and for changes to be widely adopted they should be consistent with peoples' lifestyles, preferences, tastes, and knowledge. We construct global scenarios of reducing meat consumption and model their carbon mitigation potential to 2050. We conduct a simple survey to explore UK consumers' preferences for different approaches to reducing meat consumption, which are used to develop scenarios, and units for communicating the associated portion sizes and emissions savings. Results from our survey suggest that modest reductions in meat consumption are more resonant (e.g., eating three portions per week) rather than absolutes (becoming vegan for one month) or abstractions (consuming 170 cal of meat per day). Similarly, tangible analogies such as number of airline flights are preferred over raw emissions abated. We find that reducing meat intake to recommended healthy levels (92 cal per day) and avoiding ruminant meat could almost halve production-phase GHG emissions from the food system. Our survey illustrates how such information can be rephrased for more engaging communication: “reducing your meat intake to three times per week is equivalent to avoiding six short-haul return flights each year”.

Prospective life cycle inventory datasets for conventional and hybrid-electric aircraft technologies

Hybrid-electric aircraft represent a promising solution for the urgent need to decarbonize short-haul flights and bolster aviation sustainability. Nevertheless, the realization of hybrid-electric aircraft demands rigorous environmental impact analysis, given the substantial investments, time, and research required for technology development. This study offers a comprehensive life cycle inventory spanning the years 2030, 2040, and 2050 for both conventional and hybrid-electric aircraft configurations. Our inventory datasets are meticulously constructed through a systematic approach, ensuring data harmonization by drawing upon scientific literature, industry expertise, and primary data sources. This extensive dataset encompasses all pertinent systems necessary to model the environmental footprint of flights covering distances ranging from 200 to 600 nautical miles, utilizing a 50-passenger aircraft with the ATR42 as a reference model. Additionally, we furnish supplemental data for end-of-life considerations and uncertainty analysis. The systems under examination include the airframe, powertrain, power electronics and drives, batteries, fuel cells, hydrogen onboard storage, airport infrastructure, and battery charging stations. Notably, the carbon footprint of conventional aircraft aligns with data from the ecoinvent v3.8 database; however, our provided datasets are more than tenfold more detailed and incorporate a forward-looking perspective. These meticulously curated life cycle inventories can be amalgamated to simulate the potential environmental ramifications of conventional aircraft powered by kerosene or alternative aviation fuels, hybrid-electric aircraft utilizing battery technology, and hybrid-electric aircraft employing hydrogen as a fuel in conjunction with batteries. In this context, our findings play a pivotal role in nurturing the development of technology roadmaps that prioritize environmental sustainability within the realm of regional aviation.

The effects of distributed electric propulsion on the aerodynamics of a regional aircraft wing

A study is performed to comprehensively evaluate the aerodynamic performance of a regional aircraft designed for short-haul flights, with a particular focus on the effects of distributed electric propulsion (DEP) on aerodynamic performances. This effort aligns well with a core objective of the Clean Aviation program to decrease carbon emissions within the aviation sector. To address this challenge, we propose a concept that considers incorporating electric motors to complement the conventional propulsion system of a regional aircraft wing. These electric motors have the capability to draw power from either the traditional turboprop engine or exclusively from an on-board electrical generator, providing an innovative pathway for emissions reduction. The central focus of this study revolves around a detailed examination of the aerodynamic efficacy with respect to the placement of engines within the wing. It seeks to ascertain whether optimal aerodynamic efficiency is achieved through the adoption of a greater number of smaller-diameter motors, characterized by reduced power output to the shaft. Alternatively, the study explores the prospect of employing a reduced number of motors, each possessing larger diameters and correspondingly augmented power output. While a larger motor size may intuitively suggest superiority in terms of thrust, it remains imperative to meticulously evaluate the potential influence of the associated drag factor. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge in the realm of aviation by shedding light on the intricate interaction between aerodynamic efficiency and power output in the context of propulsion system design.

The factors affecting people’s willingness in participating in and paying for upgrading their seats from the economy class to the premium class

As information technology develops rapidly and network information becomes more and more transparent, it is urgent for airlines to increase their flight carrying rates through marketing to maximize profits before take-off. While the seat bidding strategy has been one of the business models adopted by many airlines in recent years, it has not been implemented yet in Taiwan’s airlines. In order to understand the seat bidding behavior of passengers, this study adopted the double-hurdle model to explore the factors affecting passengers’ participation in seat bidding and calculated the prices they were willing to pay. Moreover, this study investigated the effects of long and short flight distances on passengers’ participation in seat bidding and the prices they were willing to pay for either flight distance. According to the results, the factors affecting the participation of passengers in seat bidding were different for long-distance and short-distance trips, while a common factor between them was that young people and passengers with preliminary knowledge of such activities were more willing to participate. According to the analysis on the prices people were willing to pay, the price difference that passengers of long-haul flights and short-haul flights were willing to pay for upgrades was about 55 and 24% of the reference price, respectively. The information obtained in this study can serve as a reference for future research or for airlines.

Advancing sport ecology research on sport and the natural environment

ABSTRACT Sport and the natural environment have an intimate relationship threatened by global warming and climate change. Individual sport organizations and events to the collective global sport sector must address climate change on two primary fronts – (1) reducing their impact on the natural environment resulting in climate change to sustain the environments individual sport organizations and events taking place and (2) sustaining sport from changing environments due to climate change. This paper examines previous research from these two fronts, and gaps are identified that can inform future research to advance our understanding of environmental sport management or sport ecology topics. The paper then discusses practical and measured responses to climate change using examples from other disciplines beyond sport management to enhance these research lines and inform industry practice. As the sport sector advances, a fourth wave of the sport environmental movement is emerging where sport organizations encounter internal and external pressures to resolve contradictions in their stated environmental values and organizational operations (e.g. short-haul flights, carbon-intensive sponsors). The paper concludes with recommendations across these two fronts to engage fans and participants in meaningful climate action with demonstrative results.

Travel option-based environmental comparison between passenger aircraft and high-speed rail

The short-haul flights have higher emission values than medium or long-haul flights when emissions per distance are considered. In this study, the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing short-haul flights which carried out by a narrow-body commercial aircraft from/to Konya City in Turkey with regional jets or high-speed trains (HSRs) has been investigated. The flight trajectory is selected from Konya Airport to İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, and that trajectory is a frequently performed domestic flight between Konya and İstanbul. The IMPACT platform is used for the calculation of fuel burn and gas emissions. According to the results, traveling with regional jets or high-speed trains from/to Konya City which is the most 15th polluted city in Europe, provides advantages in terms of environmental impact. Traveling with HSR which is the best traveling option in this study, provides approximately 3.3 times more green travel than the currently used narrow-body passenger aircraft between Konya and İstanbul. In addition, this mode of transportation can become more environmentally friendly by using renewable energy sources to produce its electricity needs. It is expected that this study will serve as a guide for airline and high-speed rail operators and regulators to determine the most environmentally efficient travel options based on fuel burn and emission parameters.

Evaluating the role of solar photovoltaic and battery storage in supporting electric aviation and vehicle infrastructure at Visby Airport

Following the societal electrification trend, airports face an inevitable transition of increased electric demand, driven by electric vehicles (EVs) and the potential rise of electric aviation (EA). For aviation, short-haul flights are first in line for fuel exchange to electrified transportation. This work studies the airport of Visby, Sweden and the effect on the electrical power system from EA and EV charging. It uses the measured airport load demand from one year’s operation and simulated EA and EV charging profiles. Solar photovoltaic (PV) and electrical battery energy storage systems (BESS) are modelled to analyse the potential techno-economical gains. The BESS charge and discharge control are modelled in four ways, including a novel multi-objective (MO) dispatch to combine self-consumption (SC) enhancement and peak power shaving. Each model scenario is compared for peak power shaving ability, SC rate and pay-back-period (PBP). The BESS controls are also evaluated for annual degradation and associated cost. The results show that the novel MO dispatch performs well for peak shaving and SC, effectively reducing the BESS’s idle periods. The MO dispatch also results in the battery controls’ lowest PBP (6.9 years) using the nominal economic parameters. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis for the PBP shows that the peak power tariff significantly influences the PBP for BESS investment.

Welfare and environmental effects of short-haul flights bans

This paper explores the efficacy of short-haul flights bans in reducing environmental external costs and its effects on welfare. Recently implemented by several European countries, the ban policy assumes that the air traffic lost will be diverted to rail giving environmental gains. A model where users are also allowed to use private car and account for all transport external costs is proposed to check this measure. The ban will provoke a shift in the modal split and affect total traffic levels. Rail prices will rise, users surplus and net welfare will fall. External costs are not necessarily reduced. Finally, an ex-ante assessment is done finding that environmental costs only decrease in the Madrid-Barcelona corridor, increasing in the Madrid-Valencia one. Social welfare net of all external costs decreases by 19.6% and 3.1% respectively. Thus, a case-by-case approach for implementing short-haul flights bans would be advisable.

Analysis of Relation between Brainwave Activity and Reaction Time of Short-Haul Pilots Based on EEG Data.

The purpose of this research is to examine and assess the relation between a pilot's concentration and reaction time with specific brain activity during short-haul flights. Participants took part in one-hour long flight sessions performed on the FNPT II class flight simulator. Subjects were instructed to respond to unexpected events that occurred during the flight. The brainwaves of each participant were recorded with the Emotiv EPOC+ Scientific Contextual EEG device. The majority of participants showed a statistically significant, positive correlation between Theta Power in the frontal lobe and response time. Additionally, most subjects exhibited statistically significant, positive correlations between band-power and reaction times in the Theta range for the temporal and parietal lobes. Statistically significant event-related changes (ERC) were observed for the majority of subjects in the frontal lobe for Theta frequencies, Beta waves in the frontal lobe and in all lobes for the Gamma band. Notably, significant ERC was also observed for Theta and Beta frequencies in the temporal and occipital Lobes, Alpha waves in the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes for most participants. A difference in brain activity patterns was observed, depending on the performance in time-restricted tasks.

How much can electric aircraft contribute to reaching the Flightpath 2050 CO2 emissions goal? A system dynamics approach for european short haul flights

In 2012, the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) introduced Flightpath 2050 defining the emission reduction targets for the aviation industry in the EU. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of narrow body electric aircraft for short haul flights on reaching the Flightpath 2050 CO2 emissions goal using different policy scenarios within the EU. We develop a system dynamics model of the air transport system (ATS), consisting of the interaction between three major segments, namely air travel demand, airline industry and aircraft manufacturers. The model is run for the time period from 1991 to 2050, where electric aircraft are introduced in the year 2035. We simulate the behavior of the ATS under different policy scenarios, e.g., introduction of jet fuel tax, electricity subsidy, seat tax or fleet restriction policy, to test their influence on electric aircraft adoption rates. The results of the analysis suggest that most of the individual policies when implemented are not enough to reach the Flightpath 2050 CO2 emissions goal. Furthermore, a strong set of policy combination was required to reach the goal. Specifically, the combination of an electricity subsidy with kerosene tax demonstrates a higher electric aircraft adoption rate than that of other combinations. On the other hand, sensitivity analysis shows that combinations with electricity subsidy display higher volatility in the CO2 emissions interval. The main reason for this sensitivity is due to the uncertainty in cost pertaining to electric aircraft development parameters.

Advanced Air Mobility Operation and Infrastructure for Sustainable Connected eVTOL Vehicle

Advanced air mobility (AAM) is an emerging sector in aviation aiming to offer secure, efficient, and eco-friendly transportation utilizing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. These vehicles are designed for short-haul flights, transporting passengers and cargo between urban centers, suburbs, and remote areas. As the number of flights is expected to rise significantly in congested metropolitan areas, there is a need for a digital ecosystem to support the AAM platform. This ecosystem requires seamless integration of air traffic management systems, ground control systems, and communication networks, enabling effective communication between AAM vehicles and ground systems to ensure safe and efficient operations. Consequently, the aviation industry is seeking to develop a new aerospace framework that promotes shared aerospace practices, ensuring the safety, sustainability, and efficiency of air traffic operations. However, the lack of adequate wireless coverage in congested cities and disconnected rural communities poses challenges for large-scale AAM deployments. In the immediate recovery phase, incorporating AAM with new air-to-ground connectivity presents difficulties such as overwhelming the terrestrial network with data requests, maintaining link reliability, and managing handover occurrences. Furthermore, managing eVTOL traffic in urban areas with congested airspace necessitates high levels of connectivity to support air routing information for eVTOL vehicles. This paper introduces a novel concept addressing future flight challenges and proposes a framework for integrating operations, infrastructure, connectivity, and ecosystems in future air mobility. Specifically, it includes a performance analysis to illustrate the impact of extensive AAM vehicle mobility on ground base station network infrastructure in urban environments. This work aims to pave the way for future air mobility by introducing a new vision for backbone infrastructure that supports safe and sustainable aviation through advanced communication technology.

Sleep Patterns of Pilots: An Objective Assessment.

Objectives Circadian dysregulation (jetlag), sleep loss (extended wakefulness), sleep deprivation (acute or chronic), fatigue (exhaustion), preexisting medical and mental conditions, and medication use can all affect the cognitive and behavioral performance of commercial aircraft pilots. This study evaluated the sleep habits of pilots and copilots flying short-haul flights in the Gulf region. Methods This cross-sectional study examined Airbus A320 pilots and copilots for one of Saudi Arabia's commercial airlines. Data such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), employment position, work experience, flight hours, and rest time were collected. Each participant completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for daytime sleepiness, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Fatigue Severity Index (FSI). Actigraphy equipment was used to perform objective sleep evaluations. Results Twenty-four participants were included. Actigraphy showed that 66.7% had an irregular sleep pattern and that 41.7% had poor sleep efficiency. We found that 12.5% had daytime sleepiness, 33% had poor sleep quality, and 29.2% had fatigue. We found a significant negative correlation between years of experience and time in bed; however, there was no significant difference in sleep time or sleep efficiency between pilots with different levels of experience. Conclusions We found that pilots and copilots are at risk of irregular sleep patterns, poor sleep efficiency, poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue. This study emphasizes the need to instigate measures to minimize these risks.

Analysis of a new standing passenger seat design for commercial transport aircraft

In order to have profitable flight operations, many airlines have used high-density passenger cabin design and arrangement. By doing this, more passengers can be accommodated inside the cabin per flight, hence reducing the overall flight costs per passenger. With conventional aircraft seats, the seat pitch is progressively reduced over the years to accommodate additional passengers into the cabin and this has created high flight comfort issues among the passengers. Reduced seat pitch also means that available legroom at each seat becomes smaller, which leads to discomfort due to inadequate space for many passengers in their sitting positions. For short-haul flights, the standing passenger cabin concept has been explored and proposed to help resolve this issue. Since passengers will require less legroom space in their standing positions, it is possible to have reduced seat pitch (hence more passengers) and acceptable comfort. A proposed standing passenger seat design is studied in this work to establish and support its suitability to be used in the standing passenger cabin concept. Finite element analysis is conducted to demonstrate its ability to fulfill the strength requirements imposed by the aviation authority. Furthermore, several design improvements have also been made to minimize its weight while still satisfying the strength requirements. The final standing passenger seat design has been shown to have adequate structural strength to cope with the requisite 9-g loading and a mass of about 11.7 kg which is lower than most conventional aircraft seats. All in all, this indicates that the proposed standing seat design has a good potential to be applied for air transportation and further supports the future implementation of the standing cabin concept. The final design from this study can be further refined in future studies to improve its characteristics.

Potential and Limitations of Battery-Powered All-Electric Regional Flights—A Norwegian Case Study

The purpose of this study is to look at both the potential and the limitations of first-generation electric aviation technology while emphasizing Norway’s geographical opportunities and unique regional network. Electric flight distances of up to 400 km would cover around 77% of all flights within Norway. Currently, there is limited research into the suitability of battery-powered all-electric aviation in such scenarios, where Norway is an ideal case study location. In this work, the key factors, including battery technologies, propulsion systems, aircraft designs, and important aspects of the flight profile, are investigated to determine the suitability of specific routes in terms of the required power, energy, and battery size. A case study of five different flight distances in Norway (77–392 km) and two different aircraft bodies (one retrofitted with an electric powertrain and one completely designed around the electric drivetrain) is presented. While the completely redesigned aircraft is observed to fulfill the power requirements of the routes, the results suggest that modest energy density improvements in batteries would facilitate retrofitting preexisting aircraft. Finally, the study shows that it will be feasible to operate small (9–39 passengers) electric aircraft on short-haul flights in Norway through either new aircraft designs or retrofitting shortly.

Reducing air travel emissions in academia: an exploration of universities’ manoeuvring room

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the manoeuvring room of higher education institutions to take action to reduce emissions from academic flying. In particular, this study investigates how university staff and central actors in university management evaluate potential measures in this area.Design/methodology/approachThe authors applied a single case study design encompassing an online survey directed at staff (N = 338) and 11 semi-structured interviews with key actors from management at an Austrian university. The authors used descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis to examine the data.FindingsThis study found considerable support among university staff in principle for implementing measures to reduce academic flying, but also serious concerns about the fairness and viability of some restrictive measures, especially disincentives and caps on flying. However, bans on short-haul flights were largely supported. Actors from university management saw their manoeuvring room limited by the potential resistance and non-compliance of staff, as well as by framework conditions external to the university.Practical implicationsDedicated leadership is needed to facilitate broad commitment within the university and to avoid shifting the responsibility between different governance levels. Restrictive measures to reduce academic air travel will be more readily accepted if perceived as fair and viable.Originality/valueAlthough several papers have addressed the behavioural and institutional factors that sustain extensive flying in academia, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first contributions to investigate the potentials and challenges of introducing measures to reduce air travel in higher education institutions.

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant from an infected aircrew member on a short-haul domestic flight, Australia 2021.

In June 2021, when COVID-19 incidence in Australia was low, a COVID-19 (Delta variant) cluster occurred on an 81-minute domestic flight, with an aircrew member as the likely source. Outbreak investigation demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 may be transmitted during short-haul flights and that mask use protected against infection.

The perceived value of environmental sustainability for consumers in the air travel industry: A choice-based conjoint analysis

By 2050, aviation emissions are forecasted to account for 25% of the global carbon budget. Thus, in addition to airlines’ sustainability efforts, individual consumer action is needed in order to reduce the environmental impact of air travel. The purpose of this paper is to investigate to what extent consumers value environmental sustainability when selecting flights in terms of the trade-off between cost, time, comfort, and CO2 emissions. Hence, a choice-based conjoint survey was conducted to understand the monetary, temporal, and comfort trade-offs consumers are willing to make for a reduction in CO2 emissions in both short-haul and long-haul flights. The 426 collected responses were analysed using conditional logistic regressions. The results indicate that air travellers are willing to pay more (6.7–21.2 €/100 kg) or travel longer (13–41 minutes/100 kg) to reduce the environmental impact of their trip. Moreover, displaying CO2 emissions as a percentage of an individual’s annual carbon budget increased air travellers’ perceived monetary and temporal value of environmental sustainability, to 11.8–26.3 €/100 kg and 22–65 minutes/100 kg respectively.