By 2035, JetBlue will reduce per-seat emissions by half

JetBlue announced a new promise to cut lifecycle emissions connected to jet fuel by 50 percent per revenue tonne kilometer (RTK) by 2035 and offered a thorough explanation of its plan to attain net zero emissions by 2040, with an emphasis on low carbon solutions.

JetBlue's CEO, Robin Hayes, stated that halving per-seat emissions "would demand a fundamental transformation in how we run our business today." The firm stated that it will raise investments in lower-carbon solutions and review future sustainability expenditures with the new objective in mind.

According to JetBlue, the new 2035 emissions reduction objective has been authorized by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and is in line with the company's 2040 net-zero emissions pledge that was previously revealed last year.

The business also issued the JetBlue Projected Emissions Reduction Pathway, which outlines the steps it will take to reach its 2035 and 2040 goals. Transitioning to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) is estimated to be the primary contributor to JetBlue's decarbonization strategy, representing more than fifty percent of its emissions savings relative to a business-as-usual route. JetBlue has indicated that it views SAF as the most promising strategy for addressing aviation emissions swiftly, and is on schedule to meet its objective of converting 10% of the airline's total fuel to SAF by 2030. JetBlue has recently announced additional SAF-sourcing agreements with Fidelis New Energy, AIR Company, and Neste, among others.

Additional key components of the company's emissions reduction strategy include advances in aircraft technology and fuel efficiency, including the transition to newer and more advanced aircraft, as well as the potential for broader efficiency improvements for yet-to-be-developed next-generation aircraft, and advocating for initiatives such as the modernization of air traffic control.

The approach also includes investments in high-quality carbon removals and offsets, but JetBlue has declared that it will prefer low-carbon solutions; the roadmap allocates only 5% of predicted savings to carbon removals and offsets. JetBlue announced that it will discontinue its voluntary carbon offsetting of domestic flights through 2023, reallocating offset spending to operational investments to reduce emissions, and "evolving its offsetting strategy to support a curated list of primarily nature-based projects in and around the destinations it serves."

JetBlue stated that its strategy and ability to achieve its goals will depend on the industry and policymaker cooperation, with the plan assuming that SAF becomes cost-competitive with conventional jet fuel and that OEMs continue to push technology advancements such as new engines and fleets.

Director of Sustainability and Environmental Social Governance of JetBlue, Sara Bogdan, stated:

"The aviation industry is at a crucial juncture in our pursuit of net-zero emissions. Numerous of these lower carbon solutions are proven, but they have not yet reached the necessary size to have a significant impact. Encouragement of these maturing technologies is required, and the investments we make today will define the trajectory of these solutions as they mature and reach their full potential."