According to data from the Foundation for Promoting Personal Mobility and Ecological Transportation, the amount of CO2 produced in transporting a person one kilometer is 173 grams by passenger vehicle, 111 grams by airplane (domestic Japanese route), or 19 grams by train. Since an airplane transports several hundred people at once, it offers better environmental efficiency than an automobile. Nevertheless, a Boeing 747-400 traveling from Narita to New York consumes 160,000 liters of fuel.

The fuel tanks on an aircraft are not completely filled for each flight. Instead, the amount of fuel necessary for a safe, comfortable, and punctual flight is carefully calculated in advance, and only the proper amount is taken on board.

Captain Matsuda quipped that fuel is as important to pilots as their own blood. It is no exaggeration to say that pilots are always aware of how much fuel they have left, as it is an essential lifeline in the event of unforeseen circumstances during a flight.

Since aircraft consume such large amounts of fuel, achieving greater efficiency is a good way to decrease CO2 emissions. For example, by reducing the angle of the wing flaps during landing, noise is reduced, and fuel can be saved. When the pilot of a 747-400 chooses this landing method after considering safety based on various conditions including air currents and the length of the runway, CO2 emissions can be reduced by 300 kilograms each time. Moreover, employing idle reverse (similar to putting a car into neutral) to stop the aircraft after landing, instead of reversing the engines which results in a lot of fuel consumption and noise, can eliminate 300 kilograms of CO2 emissions.

Captain Matsuda explained, “These ‘eco-flight’ techniques - as we call them - were originally carried out by pilots based on their experience. Team Minus 6% initiatives, organized by 30 flight-crew members, spread such techniques to the entire company through awareness-raising efforts. As a result of internal education such as publishing CO2 reduction effects in an in-house newsletter, the rate of implementation for these techniques is now over 50%. Considering that eco-flight techniques are not always usable depending on the circumstances, this implementation rate is extremely high.”

It is also more efficient to use power from the airport, rather than the onboard auxiliary power unit, to supply the aircraft’s lighting and air-conditioning needs while it is still at the gate.

Captain Matsuda elaborated on this point, “Although it increases the burden on aircraft ground crews, we are promoting the use of airport power supply due to the substantial reduction of CO2 emissions it allows. When I was at the Vancouver Airport recently, I noticed that JAL was the only airline using this technique.”

By replacing the conventional cargo containers with a new lighter model on all flights, the JAL Group is working to reduce CO2 emissions by 8,000 tons annually. These new containers will be progressively introduced on international flights. In addition to eco-flight techniques, other onboard measures have been taken to reduce fuel consumption, including the use of lighter tableware and cutlery, and the loading of only the optimal amount of drinking water.

In fiscal 2007, a new glass-fiber-based Twintex material was used for side-panels in conventional aluminum cargo containers, reducing the weight of each by 26 kilograms. When loading 18 of these containers in the cargo compartment of a 747-400 flying from Tokyo to New York, there is a 720-kilogram reduction in CO2 emissions. Similarly, by reducing the weight of cutlery items by two grams each, the load on the same aircraft flying to New York is reduced by almost three kilograms. In fiscal 2004, tableware made from lightweight porcelain was introduced on international flights in First and Business Classes, yielding a weight savings of 20%. As a result, CO2 emissions can be reduced by an average of 21 kilograms for each flight, which translates into a reduction of 660 tons of CO2 for the entire JAL Group each year.

Aircraft engine cleaning was carried out 450 times in fiscal 2007, realizing an annual CO2 reduction of 36,000 tons. The frequency of cleanings will be increased in the future, as JAL aims for an annual reduction of 50,000 tons by fiscal 2010. Through regular cleaning of the compressor plates inside aircraft engines, the Engineering and Maintenance Division is also helping to improve fuel efficiency. Furthermore, the Flight Operations Division is planning on improving the flight management system in the future, in order to enable more precise fuel calculation.

Captain Matsuda offered this final comment, “Although aircraft produce a lot of CO2 when flying, through the combined and ongoing efforts of 3,300 flight-crew members and 50,000 JAL Group employees, I believe we will make a significant contribution to cutting CO2 emissions.”
By not painting its cargo planes, JAL is reducing the weight of these aircraft by up to 150 kilograms, which in turn reduces CO2 emissions and the use of chemical substances. The unpainted aluminum exterior needs to be periodically polished to remove dirt, and prevent corrosion. Since cargo planes have no passenger windows, it makes the polishing process easier.