easyJet holidays to offset carbon emissions
easyJet holidays is the first major tour operator to offset the carbon emissions from its package holidays – comprising the fuel used for flights and in-destination transfers, as well as the energy used from hotel stays – with the cost not being passed onto customers
easyJet holidays has announced its carbon offsetting news now ahead of plans to launch its full sustainability strategy very soon. This first step from the holiday operator builds on the airline, easyJet, which, in November 2019, became the first major airline to offset the carbon emissions from the fuel used on all its flights. At the same time, easyJet focuses on minimising carbon emissions in its current operations through flying a modern fleet of fuel-efficient aircraft and by operating them as efficiently as possible. Since 2000, the airline has cut its carbon emissions per passenger, per kilometre by a third.
Offsetting is the best way to address its carbon emissions right now, but the airline says that it is ‘only an interim measure until radical new technologies are available’. It is actively involved in the development of all-electric, hybrid and hydrogen propulsion to achieve zero-emission flying in the future, and has committed to transitioning as soon as these technologies are available and viable. easyJet has also committed to action beyond carbon, such as to rapidly reduce waste and single-use plastic usage on board and within its supply chain.
easyJet, and now easyJet holidays, undertakes carbon offsetting through schemes accredited by two of the highest verification standards, Gold Standard and VCS. They will include forestry, renewable and community-based projects. Garry Wilson, easyJet holidays CEO, said; “I’m personally very passionate about sustainability and it’s an area I’ve been involved in, and committed to, throughout my time in the travel industry. While it’s a difficult challenge to tackle within travel, it’s something that’s really important to us at easyJet and easyJet holidays and we’ve got to do all we can. We’ve spent a lot of time when we’ve not had customers travelling working on our sustainability plans. We believe there’s a real opportunity to play our part to re-open tourism sustainably.”