The head of of the Latvian airline Air Baltic believes climate-neutral flying will be possible by 2050, but admitted that the eco-friendly commitment presents an enormous technical challenge.
"We cannot implement it quickly. We can only do this in a structured approach. But I still think that by 2050, maybe not every airline, but the majority of passenger air travel will be emission-free. I'm pretty sure of that," Air Baltic chief executive Martin Gauss told dpa in an interview.
The global airline industry body International Air Transport Association (IATA) vowed in 2021 that airlines were committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Gauss said that state-owned Air Baltic, which flies to some 70 destinations from its hub in Riga with a fleet of more than 40 Airbus A220 jets, is on the right track.
"By ordering this aircraft, we have taken a big step. The rest of the world has yet to convert their fleets to something as modern as we are," Gauss said of the short- and medium-haul aircraft. In total, Air Baltic has ordered 50 of these and has an option for 30 more A220s.
The renewal of the fleet was also made with a view to Air Baltic's initial public offering (IPO) planned for 2024.
According to Air Baltic, the first quarter saw the airline's best results in its history.
Things looked different during the pandemic: Gauss had to convince the Latvian government to ensure the company's survival with a capital increase of €250 million ($268 million).
Air Baltic was also hit by the consequences of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
