Why Climate Scientists Want Flights to Take Longer

As if air travel wasn't already an unpleasant enough ordeal as it is, with delays, baggage fees, cramped seating, and so on; your upcoming flight could take even longer. But climate experts say it could be an important step for reducing worldwide aviation emissions.

The findings are part of a report published this past week from researchers with the University of Cambridge titled "Five Years to Chart a New Future for Aviation," that outlines four actionable steps that must be completed by 2030 in order to cut emissions and achieve net zero by 2050. The four items include eliminating contrail "clouds" formed by planes, governments and industry collaborating on new policies, the production of sustainable fuel and renewable electricity, and launching new technology programs.

The researchers found that if aircraft were to fly just 15 percent slower, it would cause the reduction of fuel burning by five to seven percent. What that would mean for travelers is approximately 50 minutes added on to a transatlantic flight from London to New York, which currently takes about seven hours.

However, there are some disadvantages, and making the change will not be easy. The report notes that "one drawback of reducing speed is the potential negative impact on airline productivity and passenger acceptance, especially for longer flights." Not to mention, planes will have to be redesigned in order to fly at slower speeds to make the shift achievable.

Though, it's not all bad news, The report does also advocates for other measures to offset the increased flight times, such as improved airport organization and reduced waiting times.

"Aviation stands at a pivotal moment, much like the automotive industry in the late 2000s," said Whittle Laboratory director Rob Miller in a statement. "Back then, discussions centered around biofuels as the replacement for petrol and diesel—until Tesla revolutionized the future with electric vehicles. Our five-year plan is designed to accelerate this decision point in aviation, setting it on a path to achieve net zero by 2050."

Miller likewise told The Times that the reason the measures aren't already being implemented is because they require a "whole systems process change."

"The airlines can’t do them alone, nor can the manufacturers or the airports," he explained. "It’s not that anyone doesn’t want to, it’s just that the complexity of the system makes it very hard to do."