Cleaner toilets help save BA £20m
British Airways’ staff saved the airline enough fuel to power 550 flights from Heathrow to New York last year following the introduction of an online suggestion box.
More than 200 fuel-saving ideas were submitted by pilots, cabin crew, engineers and ground staff.
Some of the more unusual suggestions included replacing glass wine bottles with plastic, reducing the amount of water carried onboard, and descaling toilet pipes on Boeing 747 and 777s. The latter suggestion saved £600,000 as a result of reduced weight – and also improved the performance of the toilets.
The airline has also employed more conventional methods such as reducing the use of auxiliary power units, single engine taxiing and performance improvement packages on more than 40 777s. In total the savings were worth over £20 million.
BA head of environment Jonathon Counsell said: "This really has been a team effort. It goes to show that small changes here and there can add up to significant savings. Not only does this help us to reduce our environmental impact, it also saves us money."
British Airways is working on more projects to save fuel in 2012, including the use of new, lightweight catering trolleys, headsets and cargo containers.
The airline has also extended a trial of tripleO, a special paint coating that improves aerodynamics and leads to greater fuel efficiency. A 777 is to be coated, following a successful trial of a smaller Airbus A318.
BA said it is committed to cutting net carbon emissions by 50% by 2050.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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