Frequently asked questions

From a user perspective, the Flight Emissions Label (FEL) is a means to make estimated flight emissions accessible as part of the online flight search and purchase process and in accordance with Article 14 of the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation. It is a graphic diagram and acts as a container and a representation for emissions data. Its presence is indicated by the label logo.

For operators, the FEL is an emissions attribute of a flight in their schedule based on the combination of data on Aircraft Operator, Route, Aircraft Type, and Aircraft Configuration. A single label may vary between summer and winter seasons to reflect differences in seasonal traffic demand and operations. The route is defined as the connection of a single departure and arrival airport without stopovers.

Aircraft operators contribute the data in order to calculate emissions and issue the labels. This includes data on flights, fuel purchases and consumption, as well as aircraft seating configurations and cargo. This data is verified and EASA processes it to estimate the emissions in accordance with the EN ISO 14083:2023 standard and then issue Flight Emissions Labels.

The scope of the EU Flight Emissions Label (FEL) includes emissions from flights departing from or arriving at a Union Airport as defined in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2405. While label holder status is voluntary, should a label holder participate it must display the label scores and logotype for all of the flights in scope. 
A label holder may display emissions for their flights which are not in scope at the point of purchase alongside flights which are in scope provided the emissions are validated by EASA. These emission estimates cannot be displayed with the FEL logotype and are not to be considered FEL labels. 

The FEL Implementing Regulation sets out the conditions for a correct and clear display of flight emissions. As per Article 6(5)(b) of this implementing regulation, the aircraft operator may not display emissions similar to those in the FEL which were not requested under the formal process.This applies to all routes to and from union airports regardless of whether or not the aircraft operator is a label holder, or a label has been requested. Using the FEL is therefore the only method to ensure compliance of airlines with EU law when displaying emissions either to or from Union airports. If the aircraft operator is a label holder, it should request labels for all operations.

EASA collaborates with industry partners such as Google, currently providing estimates to the industry for displays of emissions. This is to ensure aircraft operators participating in the program and their third-party resellers, including online travel agents(OTAs), meta searches and travel management companies (TMCs), can seamlessly comply with the requirements of the law with the minimum burden of digital deployment. Monitoring of compliance by EASA will be performed collaboratively with aircraft operators and third parties, appropriately considering any gaps in the request or display of labels and addressing challenges in distribution, such as platform updates, while ensuring compliance with the legal framework.
 

Data is gathered from airlines

First, flight information is collected from airlines. This includes the specific routes they fly, the type of aircraft used and information about the seating arrangements on board. Passengers and cargo figures, fuel use, and flight schedule data is also collected. This information is checked for any errors and, once done, is accepted to form the basis of calculations for the Flight Emissions Label.

In the rare cases where direct data is not available, such as when a new flight destination is started or a new aircraft type is used, EASA will combine secondary data and make relevant estimations based on it. For instance, if an airline starts a new route, estimates from similar routes and aircraft types may be used. These are always validated to ensure that the Flight Emissions Label can produce a reliable result.

Carbon footprint and efficiency are calculated

Translating the vast datasets collected into measures of flight environmental performance involves multiple calculations. One of them consists of converting the fuel used into a carbon dioxide emissions equivalent or CO2eq. 

Since passenger flights often carry cargo in the hold underneath the cabin, the resulting total flight emissions are allocated between passengers and cargo load.

Two key features of the Flight Emissions Label are estimated at this step: the passenger Carbon footprint and the flights Carbon efficiency

Fuel type is accounted for

Next, the shares of both conventional and alternative aviation fuels used are accounted for in order to quantify the reduction in carbon emissions coming from lower carbon fuels. This step highlights the substantial environmental impact of the fuel choices made by airlines. Emissions depend not only on the quantity of alternative fuels used but also on how much lower their lifecycle emissions are. 

Class is considered

Finally, an adjustment is made based on the cabin seating class. Flying in a specific class (e.g Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First) may have varying impacts due to differences in seat characteristics and space taken up in the cabin. This means that a passenger flying in First Class for example will typically have a higher footprint than one in Economy Class.

Label data gets verified

With all the data collected and calculations made, a final validation is done to ensure accuracy. The results obtained are analysed before using them for calculations, for example looking at any outliers or unexpected results to detect data reporting errors. This thorough validation process ensures that the Label data is reliable and accurately reflects the impact of each flight. The Labels then get distributed to participating airlines.

CO2 equivalents (CO2eq) standardise the warming impact of the different greenhouse gases into the equivalent amount of CO2 that would cause the same warning effect, allowing for aggregation of the total greenhouse gas effect. Examples of greenhouse gases include methane and nitrous oxide. For reference, the aviation fuel baseline for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is 89 grams of CO2eq per megajoule (gCO2eq/MJ). 

This figure consists of 76 g during jet fuel combustion (tank-to-wake, or TTW) and 13 g accounting for emissions from processing and transportation (well to tank, or WTT). The 89 g of total lifecycle emissions are referred to as Well-to-wake (WTW).

The impacts to local airport communities such as emissions of nitrous oxides (NOx), fine particles (nvPM), and noise are not currently under the scope of the Flight Emissions Label. 

EASA certifies aircraft to ensure the aircraft meet international standards and is working together with EU authorities on how to best incorporate these impacts into future initiatives. For more information regarding local air quality and noise please refer to Noise and Air quality.

Yes. A full flight is indeed more efficient. If the seats on an aircraft are fully occupied, the fuel consumption per passenger is lower compared to a half-empty flight for example. This is similar to the concept of carpooling, where sharing a ride with more people reduces the individual environmental impact. By filling up all the seats, airlines are also maximising the efficiency of each flight, ensuring that the carbon footprint per passenger is lower. This means that a flight that is usually booked nearly full is a more emission-optimised choice for travellers.

Various data sources are used to estimate the load factor, which is the percentage of available seating capacity that is filled with passengers. This estimation is crucial for determining the efficiency of a flight and is kept confidential, due to its commercial sensitivity. By collecting and identifying trends in the reported data under the Flight Emissions Label, EASA helps participating airlines highlight those flights that maximise seat capacity use and minimise passengers carbon footprint.

Many flights, particularly long-haul, will usually transport cargo as well as passengers and their luggage. While they are typically transported in separate sections of the aircraft; passenger cabin and cargo hold, they are both payload - the amount of weight an aircraft can transport and still be able to take off. This means that even though they are accounted for separately and often do not use the same space, cargo and passengers are both treated equally in terms of their weight in the Flight Emissions Label.

Within the Flight Emissions Label, the calculation of flight emissions includes both cabin and freight emissions. Cabin emissions are the portion of emissions attributed to passengers, while freight emissions are related to the cargo carried. When more passengers are on board, the cabin emissions per passenger decrease, making the flight more efficient. Similarly, when cargo is maximised, the freight emissions per tonne are reduced. This balance between passengers and cargo helps in optimising the overall efficiency of the flight.

The cabin class is defined as both a distinct level of onboard service and often also a separate seat accommodation offered to passengers, which is reflected in the seats in the cabin and additional amenities taken and offered on board the aircraft.

These differences not only affect the passenger experience but also their individual footprint. For example, the area allocated for each seat in Business or First class is significantly larger, which means that the aircraft’s overall seating capacity is reduced. This, combined with the increased weight of the seats used in these cabins, contributes to higher emissions on a per-passenger basis.

In the context of the Flight Emissions Label, these factors often account for the differences in calculated emissions associated with each class, including Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First Class. Making this information available is part of the mission of the Flight Emissions Label, as it seeks to help passengers make informed decisions about their travel options.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency will always verify data reported for the calculations behind the Flight Emissions Label by collaborating with various organisations, including national authorities and external verifiers. EASA will further conduct validation of the provided data to ensure flights are labeled based on realistic projected performance based on real-world observations.

Given the commercial sensitivity of some data reported by airlines, EASA will give top priority to data privacy, security and anonymity. This consideration will be integral to the systems used for reporting, storing, analysing, and communicating the information. The aim is for this to also encourage more airlines to participate, aircraft operators and passengers an even better overview of the environmental performance of different flights.

The Flight Emissions Label will be valid for a specific period according to established flight scheduling periods (also called Summer and Winter schedule in airline terminology) and will be updated with a frequency that both allows airlines to retain the Label score for a reasonable amount of time and for any improvements in environmental performance to be reflected in the next period.

The regulations governing the FEL and ReFuelEU Aviation can be found via the European Comission pages listed below.

• ReFuelEU Aviation European Commission website
• ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/2405)
• EU Flight Emissions Label European Commission website
• EU Flight Emissions Label Regulation (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/3170)