Sustainability In The Air

In this episode, we speak with Matthew Gorman , Director of Carbon Strategy and Sustainability at Heathrow Airport .  With 16 years at the helm of Heathrow's sustainability initiatives, Gorman shares how one of the world’s busiest airports is tackling aviation’s climate impact while maintaining its crucial role in global connectivity. Gorman discusses: Heathrow’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SA...

In this episode, we speak with Sally Davey , CEO of Travalyst . Founded in 2019 by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Travalyst is a not-for-profit coalition that brings together leading companies from the travel and technology sectors.  Davey shares insights into Travalyst’s mission and its impact on making tourism more sustainable through collaborative data initiatives. She discusses: How Travaly...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Christoph Gebald , co-founder and co-CEO of Climeworks , one of the world’s leading direct air capture (DAC) companies. Gebald shares insights into Climeworks’ journey and vision for the future, and the crucial role of carbon removal in achieving sustainable aviation. He discusses: How their direct air capture technology (DAC) removes CO2 from the atmosphere and...

In this special holiday episode, we re-visit conversations with six aviation industry executives about their approaches to sustainability and decarbonisation. Scandinavian Airlines CEO Anko van der Werff shares how regional environmental consciousness shapes their strategy, combining SAF adoption with electric and hydrogen partnerships. Their first electric flight is scheduled for 2028. Alaska Air...

In this special holiday episode, we explore conversations with five industry leaders developing innovative sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production technologies. INERATEC CEO Tim Boeltken explains their modular e-fuel technology that converts green hydrogen and CO2 into carbon-neutral liquid fuels. They aim to transform 1 gigawatt of renewable energy into 125 million gallons of sustainable e-fue...

In this episode, we speak with Valérie Guénon , Vice President of Product Environment Policies at Safran Aircraft Engines . She shares insights into how the company aims to tackle its environmental challenges through innovative engine design and sustainable fuel integration. Guénon discusses Safran’s comprehensive approach to aviation sustainability, and highlights: The RISE (Revolutionary Innovat...

In this episode, we talk to Kennedy Ricci, President of 4AIR , who shares insights into how business aviation can accelerate sustainability initiatives that could benefit the entire industry.  4AIR helps private aviation stakeholders implement impactful sustainability programs, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and industry commitments through independent reviews. Ricci explains 4...

In this episode, we speak with Christina Cassotis , CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), who shares her ambitious vision for transforming the airport into a sustainable aviation hub.  Cassotis discusses Pittsburgh’s unique position and innovative approach to aviation sustainability. She highlights several key initiatives: PIT has achieved a remarkable milestone as the world’s first fully...

In this episode, we talk to Professor Robert Miller , Director of the Whittle Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, who shares why 2030 targets are crucial for the aviation industry’s transition towards net zero. Miller is also the head of the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA), a collaboration between the Whittle Laboratory and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The AIA re...

In this episode, we talk to Anna Stukas , Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at 1PointFive , who shares insights into how direct air capture (DAC) technology works and its crucial role in aviation’s journey to net zero.  Stukas, who has been working in carbon capture since 2015, discusses her role in commercialising DAC technology and developing strategic partnerships to scale this critical...

In this episode, we talk to Dr Florian Allroggen , Executive Director, Aerospace Climate & Sustainability, and a Research Scientist in MIT ’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics , who shares insights into the science of contrails and their impact on aviation’s climate footprint. Allroggen discusses his role, focusing on understanding aviation’s environmental impact and developing soluti...

In this episode, we talk to Karine Guenan , Vice President of ZEROe ecosystem at Airbus , who shares insights into Airbus’s ambitious plans to bring hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft to market by 2035 and the unprecedented ecosystem development required to make this vision a reality. Guenan discusses: The technical challenges of developing hydrogen-powered aircraft, including the need for cryog...

In this episode, we talk to Yann Cabaret, CEO of SITA FOR AIRCRAFT , the aircraft business arm of SITA Group. Cabaret shares how SITA’s technology can help airlines meet their sustainability goals through better operational efficiency and compliance management. He also shares insights into SITA’s digital platforms and solutions aimed at reducing aviation’s environmental impact. Cabaret discusses:...

In this episode, we talk to Sian Andrews , SESAR Environmental Lead at NATS , UK’s leading provider of air traffic control services. She shares insights into how air traffic management can significantly reduce aviation’s environmental impact through innovative solutions and research projects. Andrews discusses: NATS’ role in making aviation sustainable through improved air traffic management, incl...

In this episode, we talk to Bertrand Piccard , renowned Swiss explorer, psychiatrist and clean technology pioneer. He shares insights into his ambitious Climate Impulse project that aims to set a historic precedent by flying a hydrogen aircraft around the world non-stop in 9 days. Piccard achieved global recognition for completing the first non-stop balloon flight around the world and for co-pilot...

In this episode, we talk to Lee Beck , Senior Director for Europe and the Middle East, and Thomas Walker , Transportation Technology Manager at Clean Air Task Force (CATF), who share insights into innovative solutions for decarbonising the aviation industry. Beck and Walker discuss CATF's role as a global climate organisation focused on overlooked solutions for decarbonisation and provide a f...

In this episode, we talk to Anko van der Werff , President & CEO of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), who shares insights into the airline’s ambitious sustainability initiatives and how they’re shaped by the unique environmental consciousness of Scandinavia. SAS, a longstanding Scandinavian carrier, faces distinct challenges and opportunities in its sustainability journey due to the region’s deep-r...

In this episode, we talk to Sarah Ellerby , CEO of Nova Pangaea Technologies (NPT), a UK-based cleantech company that has created a patented technology called the REFNOVA® , to enable SAF production from agricultural and forestry waste. Ellerby discusses: NPT’s REFNOVA® technology, which processes non-food derived feedstocks such as sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw into SAF precursors. The dual-p...

In this episode, we talk to Freshta Farzam , founder and CEO of LYTE Aviation , who shares the company’s innovative approach to developing a 40-seater eVTOL aircraft for regional travel and cargo transport. Farzam discusses: The inspiration behind LYTE Aviation’s focus on larger capacity eVTOLs, challenging the industry trend of smaller air taxis. The company’s diverse eVTOL portfolio, which inclu...

In this episode, we talk to Maxime Meijers and Nicolas Meijers , co-founders of Estuaire , who share insights into their innovative data platform that provides comprehensive climate impact assessments for the aviation industry. Maxime and Nicolas share: The development of Estuaire’s data platform, which fuses various data sources to provide granular and exhaustive climate impact modelling for indi...

In this episode, we talk to Delphine Millot , Senior Vice President for Advocacy & Sustainability at Global Business Travel Association ( GBTA ), who shares insights into GBTA’s initiatives to promote sustainability in business travel and the challenges faced by the industry. Millot also serves as the Managing Director of the GBTA Foundation, which serves as the charitable arm of GBTA, focusin...

In this episode, we talk to Tim Boeltken , Founder and Managing Director at INERATEC , who shares insights into the innovative world of e-fuels and their potential to transform the aviation industry and beyond. INERATEC is at the forefront of e-fuel production, developing modular technology that converts green hydrogen and carbon dioxide into carbon-neutral liquid fuels, including sustainable avia...

In this episode, we talk to Billie Moore , Chief Executive at NZ Airports Association , who shares insights into New Zealand’s distinctive approach to sustainable aviation and the challenges of operating in an isolated island nation. In essence, the NZ Airports Association serves as a central hub for coordination, advocacy, and knowledge sharing among New Zealand’s airports, with a particular focu...

In this episode, we talk to Matt Finch , UK Policy Manager at Transport & Environment (T&E), who shares insights into the challenges and opportunities in sustainable aviation. Finch discusses T&E's role as Europe's leading advocate for clean transport and provides a critical perspective on current efforts to decarbonise the aviation industry. He highlights several key issues:...

In this episode, we talk to Alanna James , Managing Director Sustainability Initiatives at Hawaiian Airlines, who shares insights into the airline's distinctive approach to sustainability and the challenges of operating in an island environment. Hawaiian Airlines, a 94-year-old company headquartered in Honolulu, faces unique sustainability challenges due to Hawaii's geographic isolation...