On our flight from Houston to Seattle today, I read Continental Airlines Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner's column in the April inflight magazine. Kellner talks about his airlines going "Green" and reducing its carbon footprint--in other words reducing its CO2 emissions. Like other airlines, Continental is testing biofuels and electric ground equipment to reduce nitrogen oxides as well.
The airline industry has come in for a good deal of criticism of late about the greenhouse cases aircraft produce. On Feb. 29, I wrote a column which appeared in many Washington newspapers talking about the heat Sir Richard Branson, owner of Virgin Atlantic Airlines, took for modifying a 747 engine to use biofuels on a test flight from London to Amsterdam. Despite investing $3 billion in "green" iniatives, mainly alternative jet fuels, starting in 2006, some environmental activists are stinging and persistent in their criticism of Branson and other airlines.
Kellner writes: "Our primary focus, and the area we can do the most to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is the modernization of our fleet and streamlining of our aircraft operations. Aready we have made great progress in this area, due in large part to an investment of more than $12 billion over the last decade to acquire 270 fuel-efficient aircraft...We have placed large orders for Boeing's most environmentally friendly aircraft like the 737-900ER and 787 Dreamliner...Since 1997, we have achieved approximately a 35 percent reduction in emissions per revenue passenger mile flown, creating 1.2 million fewer metric tons of emissions."
Modernizing air fleets is good for our environment, good for our state's economy, and good for local businesses and working families depending on Boeing and Boeing supplier jobs. Those Boeing jets, Kellner writes about, roll out of assembly plants in Everett and Renton and many airlines, including Washington based Alaska Airlines are chosing Boeing's fuel efficient jets.
A few years ago when Boeing opted to build the 787 instead of the Sonic Cruiser, company leaders correctly identified "efficiency" rather than "faster travel" as what the airlines and flying public wanted. They chose to go "green" and it is generating plenty of "greenbacks" for our state's economy and our state treasury. Let's make sure we keep our state's competitive edge and build all of the future Boeing aircraft here too!
Don C. Brunell, President
