Ryanair claims it is greenest airline in Europe on emissions

Ryanair says it has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per passenger of any European airline as it releases figures detailing its impact on the atmosphere for the first time today. Aviation is one of a number of industries coming under pressure as public fears about global warming grow, with environmentalists arguing that it adds to the carbon-dioxide emissions that are heating the planet. The Irish airline is publishing figures on Wednesday showing that it produced 66g of carbon dioxide per passenger for every kilometre its craft travelled in May. Chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs pointed out that Ryanair would be the first EU airline to begin publishing monthly greenhouse gas data and maintained that it showed the carrier had close to half some its rivals’ emissions. According to the figures, Ryanair flew 14.1m people in May over 17.529m KM, producing a total of 1,157 kilo tonnes of carbon dioxide, which left it with 66g for each individual customer for every KM. Jacobs said that Ryanair expected the figure to be about 67g, with slight variations. “Going back 10 years, we were at 82g. We will get to 60g by 2030,” he added. Jacobs explained that Ryanair’s young fleet, its craft average six years old, burns less fuel than the older models used by some competitors, such as British Airways and Lufthansa, which have planes up to 20 years old. “It’s all about the aircraft,” he said. “BA, Lufthansa and Air France KLM are flying older aircraft, particularly on their longer routes.”<br/>