BA boss says airlines must ‘think about flying in different ways’ to reduce environmental impact

BA and its competitor airlines "have to be thinking about flying in different ways" to reduce their environmental impact, its chief executive has said. Alex Cruz said airlines cannot operate exactly as they have done "over the last 100 years" and must adapt by changing how they fly, including the services they offer and the seating density of their planes. BA is already investing millions of pounds in sustainable jet fuel produced from household waste while easyJet is working on plans for an electric-powered aircraft that could be used on short flights. Cruz said he had been inspired by conversations with his four children on the subject and insisted BA was "absolutely committed" to using sustainable fuels. Cruz said it was "impossible ... not to be affected" by the views of young people as they were growing up in a "completely different environment'". He said: "We believe that flying makes absolute sense for the development of the world, but at the same time we don't believe that flying can be done like it has been done over the last 100 years. So when we look at the next 100 years we have to be thinking about flying in different ways. And that includes experiences on the ground: how do you prepare, what you load on the aircraft, the type of food you offer, how you offer it, the seats, the density, etc. There are many, many aspects around flying in the future – we are going to be there, I just don't know what the shape is going to be."<br/>