Aircraft engines emit the same types of pollutants as in incineration of other fossil fuels: carbon dioxide, nitric oxides, hydrocarbons, particles, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. Aircraft emit carbon dioxide in direct relation to fuel consumption. At high altitude, aviation also contributes to the impact on climate through the emission of nitric oxides, steam and condensation trails. The combined effect is usually estimated at twice the effect of carbon dioxide, but there is great uncertainty about this effect on climate however.

n reality, airplanes accomplish the miraculous feat of hurling hundreds of thousands of pounds of people, baggage, and aluminum thousands of miles at high speeds by consuming huge amounts of fossil fuels. In the process, airlines dump massive amounts of dangerous pollutants over our homes and into our atmosphere every day. This great but largely invisible harm will continue to grow at an accelerating rate in the years to come.

Airplanes have three major problems: they are inefficient, they are big, and they run on toxic fuels. A fully laden A380, according to its’ engine maker Rolls Royce, uses as much energy as 3,500 family cars, equivalent to six cars for each passenger. 1 Long haul flights produce on average twice as much emissions per mile traveled per passenger than cars and short haul flights produce three times as much.

Aircraft engines emit the same types of pollutants as in incineration of other fossil fuels: carbon dioxide, nitric oxides, hydrocarbons, particles, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. Aircraft emit carbon dioxide in direct relation to fuel consumption. At high altitude, aviation also contributes to the impact on climate through the emission of nitric oxides, steam and condensation trails. The combined effect is usually estimated at twice the effect of carbon dioxide, but there is great uncertainty about this effect on climate however.

In reality, airplanes accomplish the miraculous feat of hurling hundreds of thousands of pounds of people, baggage, and aluminum thousands of miles at high speeds by consuming huge amounts of fossil fuels. In the process, airlines dump massive amounts of dangerous pollutants over our homes and into our atmosphere every day. This great but largely invisible harm will continue to grow at an accelerating rate in the years to come.

Airplanes have three major problems: they are inefficient, they are big, and they run on toxic fuels. A fully laden A380, according to its’ engine maker Rolls Royce, uses as much energy as 3,500 family cars, equivalent to six cars for each passenger. 1 Long haul flights produce on average twice as much emissions per mile traveled per passenger than cars and short haul flights produce three times as much.