BRUSSELS, December 18, 2024 – The European Commission has adopted a new Regulation introducing the Flight Emissions Label (FEL), aimed at providing passengers with standardised information on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of their flights. The label, set to be fully operational by July 2025, will enable more informed purchasing decisions and support the aviation industry’s transition to net zero.
Currently, the absence of a common methodology for estimating flight emissions has resulted in airlines and ticket sellers using varied and often incomparable reporting methods. The FEL seeks to address this by establishing a reliable and harmonised methodology that considers factors such as aircraft type, average passenger numbers, freight volume, and aviation fuel used.
Beginning next summer, passengers will be able to view and compare estimated GHG emissions for their flights, expressed in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO2eq). A dedicated logo will accompany this data, ensuring its reliability and protecting passengers from misleading greenwashing claims.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, stated that the FEL represents a significant step towards cleaner and more competitive European aviation. “The Flight Emissions Label will provide passengers with transparent and reliable information about flight emissions,” he said. “It will also foster a level playing field, enabling fair competition and driving sustainability across the transport and tourism industries.”
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will be responsible for estimating flight emissions in accordance with advanced international standards. This methodology will allow for a fair, transparent, and harmonised estimation of flight emissions based on recent performance data for each route.
According to EASA, the process involves several steps to ensure accuracy and reliability. Initially, flight information is collected from airlines, including specific routes, aircraft types, seating arrangements, passenger and cargo figures, fuel use, and flight schedule data. This data is checked for errors and forms the basis of calculations for the FEL. In rare cases where direct data is unavailable, such as when a new flight destination is started or a new aircraft type is used, EASA uses secondary data and relevant estimations, validating them to ensure reliability. Additionally, adjustments to the label will be made according to class of travel.
By February 1, 2025, airlines operating flights within the EU or departing from the EU can opt-in to participate in the FEL. They will need to submit the required data to EASA, which will then assign the first flight labels by July 1, 2025. These labels will apply to flights scheduled during the 2025 winter season.
The FEL is foreseen by Article 14 of the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which mandated a “ voluntary environmental labelling scheme enabling the environmental performance of flights to be measured” as part of the EU’s broader strategy to promote sustainable aviation.
This strategy includes initiatives to increase the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), such as the ReFuelEU Aviation and the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). According to Article 14 (12), the Commission will need to assess and present a report on whether or not the EFL should become compulsory by July 2027.
