Detailed FAQs
What is British Airways doing to tackle its impact on the environment?
British Airways is proud to be an industry leader in tackling climate change, driving urgent action towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and investing in the development of sustainable aviation fuel and zero emissions aircraft. Over the next 20 years, British Airways’ parent company IAG will invest $865 million in the development of sustainable aviation fuel. It is the first European airline group to commit to powering 10 per cent of all flights with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
How do I access help and support?
Please first read our FAQs on this page. If you need to speak to us directly, please email us at ba-support@chooose.today.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Why is SAF more sustainable than fossil-based convention jet fuel?
Sustainable fuels are produced using renewable or recycled waste carbon meaning that British Airways displaces a litre of conventional jet fuel for every litre of SAF that it consumes. SAF has been shown to provide significant reductions in overall CO2 lifecycle emissions compared to fossil fuels, and for waste-derived fuels these can be more than 80%. Furthermore, SAF contains fewer impurities (such as sulphur), so it has lower air quality impacts than conventional jet fuel. Most of the SAF in production at the moment are based on waste oils and fats. British Airways is working on new supply chains using municipal waste that it hopes will be commercially available within the next 2 years.
How do I know the SAF is allocated to me?
The CO2 emissions associated with the SAF you purchase will be allocated only to you and this will be audited for British Airways by an independent assurance company.
What are the sources of SAF I am purchasing?
British Airways purchase a combination of SAF supplies that are made from different sustainable feedstocks that may include used cooking oil, household waste or other feedstocks that meet strict sustainability criteria. The SAF sources you are purchasing are based on wastes and residues and this ensures they deliver high CO2 reductions, typically 80-95% lower than conventional jet fuel per litre.
What sustainability criteria does SAF meet?
We ensure that the SAF supplied has been through a detailed sustainability assessment using recognised sustainability certification systems. These assessment systems are independently verified and ensure that the fuel has genuinely been derived from waste-based sources. The certification process also ensures that the whole life cycle greenhouse gas emissions are accurately calculated and that systems are in place to minimise the impact of producing the fuel.
Why doesn't British Airways just buy the sustainable fuel?
SAF is not presently produced in large volumes and many technologies are still under development, so the production costs are much higher than for conventional jet fuel. British Airways and its parent International Airlines Group are investing $865m over the next 20 years to help development of this important industry. By selecting to purchase SAF, you are helping to accelerate the development of this new sustainable avenue for aviation.
Carbon Removals
What is the difference between carbon removals and carbon offsets?
Today, nature-based solutions that remove carbon are often verified by the same certification standards that verify other carbon offsets, and so if you are focused on removals, you need to independently confirm that they are removing carbon as opposed to reducing or avoiding it. Other forms of carbon removals are often verified by different certification standards (like Puro.Earth).
Carbon Credits
What makes for a high-quality carbon credit?
Key criteria that determine the quality of a credit include:
- Real – The offsets are tangible and measurable
- Additionality – The emissions reduction would not have occurred in the absence of the project.
- Permanence – The project delivers the claimed emissions reductions in a sustained manner over time.
- No Leakage – The emissions reduction achieved with the project does not lead to an increase in emissions elsewhere.
- Retired permanently – Following the sale of the carbon credit, it is permanently removed from the market mechanism, ensuring that the offsets there is no double counting or double selling.
- Verifiability – A robust audit trail demonstrating the project’s goals and its delivery against those goals.
What is the price of a carbon credit? Why does it change?
The price of a carbon credit depends on many factors, including supply and demand in the market and the quality, type, size, and geographical location of the project and the credit age (vintage) – but most importantly, the value that credit creates. The availability of credits will change depending on supply and demand factors as well.
What is the difference between voluntary and mandatory carbon markets?
Regulated, mandatory or compliance carbon markets are regional, national or international regimes, enforced through legislation. The most comprehensive of these is the European Emissions Trading System. British Airways is a long-standing supporter of carbon trading to achieve robust carbon pricing at the least cost to customers. Voluntary carbon offset markets enable organizations and individuals to offset their emissions by purchasing offsets that were created either through the Clean Development Mechanism (a UN led initiative born out of the Kyoto Protocol) or in the voluntary market. Voluntary credits help to serve micro projects that are too small to warrant the administrative burden or not covered under mandatory compliance schemes. Credits generated under these schemes are called Voluntary Emission Reductions (VERs).
Cost & Pricing
Why might my cost per tonne/mile vary?
Cost per tonne and cost per mile may vary depending on: The project you select – projects vary in price, as described above. Emissions factors – see FAQ about emission factors.
How much do the carbon credits cost?
The carbon credits we are offering vary in price from approximately £8.00-£11.00 per tonne and carbon removal credits vary from £30 - £100 per tonne. Each project has a different price depending on technology, location, carbon standard etc.
Our Carbon Calculator
How does the carbon calculator work?
Our calculator estimates your carbon emissions to help you learn more about the climate impact of your flight. We combine the data that you enter with data from the airline to calculate your emissions. Chooose uses the British Airways CO2 emissions calculator to estimate the CO2 emissions per passenger across BA flights. The methodology used is: Passenger Sector Journeys (PSJs) x KM Flown (GCD) x BA Emissions Factor (class/haul) = CO2 Emissions (tonnes CO2e). The BA emissions factors utilise the previous year’s average fuel burn and load factor data from our aircraft to provide customers with a closer estimate of the CO2 emissions associated with their flight. The calculation methodology provides an estimate only of the GHG emissions associated with the fuel burn from the flight(s). Given that the relative scale of non-CO2 impact is uncertain and subject to ongoing research, we are using a radiative forcing index of 1, which means that the non-CO2 effects are not included in the calculation of your estimated footprint.
Why do other calculators come up with different tonnes?
Our calculator uses average historical British Airways data from the most recent full year. Other calculators may use factors that are specific to a particular airline, or standard government factors. Other reasons for differences include the extent to which data is split by cabin class and whether non-CO2 effects are included. Given that the relative scale of non-CO2 impact is uncertain and subject to ongoing research, we are using a radiative forcing index of 1. This will be reviewed when further information becomes available.
What are emissions factors?
An emission factor is a number that has been calculated using historical information about an activity and its emissions to give the quantity of emissions per unit of activity. In order to calculate carbon emissions for your flight the total distance is multiplied by the relevant emission factor for the aircraft cabin that you have selected. CO2e factors are calculated from average historical British Airways data from the most recent full year. The emission metric we use is the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) which takes into account other greenhouse gas emissions produced by aircraft, as defined by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
How often is the data in the calculator updated?
The data in the calculator is updated regularly based on:
- Annual emissions factor data provided by British Airways.
- Changes to emissions regimes.
Flying and Carbon Emissions
How does flying create emissions?
Aircraft engines burn fuel in order to transport passengers from one place to another. This process creates CO2 and other emissions. These total emissions are divided among passengers, taking into account the fact that passengers in business and first class have larger seat room and increased luggage allowances. The factors that determine the emissions for a journey are:
- Arrival and departure point – this determines distance and fuel consumption
- Number of passengers
- Travel class
- Carbon emission factor – this determines the CO2 equivalent per kilometre
- Load Factor
What is CORSIA?
CORSIA, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, is the climate regulation agreed by the international UN body the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The regulation addresses the increase in total CO2 emissions from international aviation above a historical baseline so that net CO2 emissions between participating countries do not grow in future. CORSIA’s obligations have already started. As of 1 January 2019, all carriers are required to report their CO2 emissions on an annual basis. Airlines are required to offset growth emissions from 2021 onwards, so from 2021 we will adjust the offset calculation to take account of emission reductions required by CORSIA.
What about radiative forcing?
In addition to greenhouse gas emissions including CO2, aircraft also cause non-CO2 climate effects such as condensation trails. Research into these effects and the appropriate metrics to characterise them continues. Radiative forcing is a metric or measurement basis that aims to combine the CO2 and non-CO2 climate effects. Given that the relative scale of impact is uncertain and subject to ongoing research, we are using a radiative forcing index of 1. This will be reviewed when further information becomes available.