easyJet trials world-first lightweight paint to cut emissions and fuel burn

Written By: Paramita Sarkar

Paramita Sarkar

Story-telling has been one of my favourite passtimes and when it is about travel, every other activity seems to fall short. I started my journey as a freelancer close to two decades ago having worked with various online portals inclduding Sambhar Stories, Thirllophilia and so on. Down the years, life has rewarded me with experiences, only adding to my writing practice. Even though teaching has been my primary profession and passion, choosing the job of a travel journalist was not quite dilemmatic when selected by the esteemed editorial team of Travel And Tour World. Knowing and letting readers know about the quaint yet intriguing desintions across the globe through writing is something I always cherish and put in my best endeavour to.

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January 7, 2025 15:52 GMT+5:30

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In a groundbreaking initiative, easyJet has become the first airline globally to trial a state-of-the-art, lighter-weight paint system designed to reduce aircraft weight, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions.

Developed in partnership with Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings, the innovative paint system has already been applied to 38 easyJet aircraft, with a fleet-wide rollout expected to be completed by 2030.

Revolutionizing Aircraft Sustainability
The newly developed paint system reduces the overall weight of each aircraft by approximately 27 kilograms, offering substantial fuel savings when applied across easyJet’s fleet.

Once the rollout is complete, the initiative is predicted to save up to 1,296 tonnes of fuel annually and cut carbon emissions by 4,095 tonnes of CO² equivalent, further aligning with easyJet’s ambitious roadmap to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Lahiru Ranasinghe, Director of Sustainability at easyJet, commented: “easyJet is constantly exploring innovative solutions to reduce the environmental impact of our operations.

This lightweight paint system, developed with our long-standing partners at Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings, is a prime example of our commitment to sustainability.

While this represents one step in a broader strategy, it demonstrates our dedication to exploring every possible efficiency gain to decarbonize aviation.”

A Collaborative Effort
The new paint system was applied with the expertise of Dublin-headquartered MAAS Aviation at its Maastricht facility.

Andrew Richardson, Aviation Sales Manager at Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings, expressed pride in the collaboration, highlighting the importance of sustainability in aviation: “Sustainability is a core value at Mankiewicz, and we are proud to partner with easyJet on this groundbreaking project.

Our 15-year relationship underscores our shared commitment to environmental stewardship.”

Richard Marston, Chief Commercial Officer at MAAS Aviation, also emphasized the significance of the initiative: “Environmental responsibility is central to our operations at MAAS Aviation. Using cutting-edge technologies like this lightweight paint demonstrates our dedication to reducing the environmental impact of the aviation sector.”

Part of a Broader Sustainability Strategy

The lightweight paint is just one of many steps easyJet is taking to decarbonize its operations.

The airline recently completed a fleet-wide implementation of Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) technology, which reduces fuel burn during descent, and achieved record reductions in carbon intensity in FY24 compared to its 2019 baseline.

In addition to operational efficiencies, easyJet is renewing its fleet with more fuel-efficient Airbus A320neo aircraft and exploring advanced propulsion technologies, including hydrogen-powered planes, in collaboration with partners like Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

Looking Ahead

As easyJet continues its journey toward net-zero emissions, initiatives like the lightweight paint system showcase the airline’s leadership in sustainability and innovation.

By focusing on incremental improvements and transformative solutions, easyJet is setting new standards for the aviation industry while reinforcing its commitment to environmental responsibility.