FRANKFURT – Every drop counts: An optimized flight path saves fuel and reduces CO₂ emissions. With the standard installation of a new, innovative technology for transmitting flight profile information in its new A320neo/A321neo aircraft, the Lufthansa Group aims to further improve airspace management in Europe, avoid unnecessary detours and thus fly more sustainably. Starting as early as 2024, the Lufthansa Group will receive more than 65 Airbus A320neo/A321neo aircraft on order – equipped with the new ADS-C EPP (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Contract Extended Projected Profile) flight profile information technology. As a pioneer, the airline group is thus investing in the new technology at an early stage and promoting its fastest possible introduction throughout Europe. From 2028, the new technology must be installed as standard in all newly delivered aircraft and ATC ground systems in the EU.

The new technology for transmitting flight path information in real time will in future automatically transmit 4D flight path information generated by the aircraft’s flight management system to air traffic control at any time. This so-called 4D flight trajectory describes the further course of a flight in the three spatial dimensions (length, width, height) as well as time as the fourth dimension. Based on the more precise information about the further flight path of an aircraft, air traffic control can control the airspace more efficiently and optimize the routing of the aircraft.

“When it comes to using new technologies for more sustainable flying, the Lufthansa Group plays a pioneering role. That is why we have made a conscious decision to use the new technology for transmitting flight path information in real time as standard on our new Airbus A320neo/A321neo aircraft as early as 2024. This will enable our pilots to fly even more efficiently on first flights within Europe as early as next year, thus reducing CO₂ emissions,” says Dr. Detlef Kayser, Member of the Lufthansa Group’s Executive Board responsible for Fleet and Technology.

Important contribution to EU airspace modernization

The automated transmission of flight path information is contributing to EU airspace modernization. The Lufthansa Group’s new aircraft equipped with ADS-C EPP will initially be able to use the new technology in Maastricht airspace (MUAC), which is the first airspace in Europe to meet all the requirements. The Lufthansa Group is working together with other air navigation service providers to ensure that it will be possible to fly even more fuel-efficiently in an increasing number of European airspaces as quickly as possible. The new technology is currently certified for aircraft of the Airbus A320 family and the Airbus A330neo.

Lufthansa Group pursues ambitious sustainability goals

The Lufthansa Group has set itself ambitious climate protection goals and aims to achieve a neutral CO₂ balance by 2050. Already by 2030, the Lufthansa Group wants to halve its net CO₂ emissions compared to 2019 through reduction and compensation measures. The reduction target until 2030 was validated by the independent Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in August 2022. The Lufthansa Group was the first airline group in Europe with a science-based CO₂ reduction target in line with the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. For effective climate protection, the Lufthansa Group is focusing in particular on accelerated fleet modernization, the use of SAF, the continuous optimization of flight operations, and offers for its private travelers and corporate customers to make a flight or the transport of cargo more sustainable. In addition, the Lufthansa Group has been actively supporting global climate and weather research for many years.