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Airline fuel usage and carbon emissions: Determining factors

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  • Brueckner, Jan K.
  • Abreu, Chrystyane

Abstract

Using annual data on individual US airlines over the 1995–2015 period, this paper presents regression results relating an airline's total fuel usage to seven variables: the available ton miles of capacity (passengers plus freight and mail) provided by the airline; the average seat capacity of its aircraft, average stage length (flight distance); average load factor (measured by weight); the average vintage (construction year) of its aircraft; the percentage of the airline's flights that are delayed; and the average annual fuel price. The results show how fuel usage and carbon emissions depend on a small set of crucial variables. The estimated fuel-price effect allows the emissions impact of an optimal emissions charge to be computed, and the estimated delay effect shows the emissions impact of an industry-wide reduction in flight delays. The regression model is generated from a theoretical framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Brueckner, Jan K. & Abreu, Chrystyane, 2017. "Airline fuel usage and carbon emissions: Determining factors," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 10-17.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jaitra:v:62:y:2017:i:c:p:10-17
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2017.01.004
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    Cited by:

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    5. Wu, Chuntao & He, Xiaohe & Dou, Yi, 2019. "Regional disparity and driving forces of CO2 emissions: Evidence from China's domestic aviation transport sector," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 71-82.
    6. Kevin Spiritus & Etienne Lehmann & Sander Renes, "undated". "Optimal Taxation with Multiple Incomes and Types," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-000/IVI, Tinbergen Institute.
    7. Brueckner, Jan K. & Abreu, Chrystyane, 2020. "Does the fuel-conservation effect of higher fuel prices appear at both the aircraft-model and aggregate airline levels?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    8. Brueckner, Jan K. & Kahn, Matthew E. & Nickelsburg, Jerry, 2023. "How Do Airlines Cut Fuel Usage, Reducing Their Carbon Emissions?," IZA Discussion Papers 16189, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    10. Marianna Oliskevych & Galyna Beregova & Viktor Tokarchuk, 2018. "Fuel Consumption in Ukraine: Evidence from Vector Error Correction Model," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 8(5), pages 58-63.
    11. Ming Zhang & Qianwen Huang & Sihan Liu & Yu Zhang, 2019. "Fuel Consumption Model of the Climbing Phase of Departure Aircraft Based on Flight Data Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-23, August.
    12. Hyunjung Kim & Jiyoon Son, 2021. "Analyzing the Environmental Efficiency of Global Airlines by Continent for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-16, February.
    13. Jagroop Singh & Somesh Kumar Sharma & Rajnish Srivastava, 2019. "AHP-Entropy based priority assessment of factors to reduce aviation fuel consumption," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 10(2), pages 212-227, April.
    14. Ming Liu & Yueyu Ding & Lihua Sun & Runchun Zhang & Yue Dong & Zihan Zhao & Yiting Wang & Chaoran Liu, 2023. "Green Airline-Fleet Assignment with Uncertain Passenger Demand and Fuel Price," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.
    15. Fang-Chen Kao & Irene Wei Kiong Ting & Han-Chung Chou & Yi-Sung Liu, 2022. "Exploring the Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Efficiency: An Extended Dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis of the Global Airline Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-21, October.
    16. Mayeres, Inge & Proost, Stef & Delhaye, Eef & Novelli, Philippe & Conijn, Sjaak & Gómez-Jiménez, Inmaculada & Rivas-Brousse, Daniel, 2023. "Climate ambitions for European aviation: Where can sustainable aviation fuels bring us?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    17. Fageda, Xavier & Teixidó, Jordi J., 2022. "Pricing carbon in the aviation sector: Evidence from the European emissions trading system," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    18. Matthew E. Kahn & Jerry Nickelsburg, 2016. "An Economic Analysis of U.S Airline Fuel Economy Dynamics from 1991 to 2015," NBER Working Papers 22830, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    19. Singh, Jagroop & Sharma, Somesh Kumar & Srivastava, Rajnish, 2019. "What drives Indian Airlines operational expense: An econometric model," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 32-38.
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    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General

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