Sustainability In The Air
Travel makes the world a smaller and better place. Aviation has bounced back. However, as we experience climate change, we worry about our environmental impact. Sustainability in The Air, the worldâs first podcast dedicated to sustainable aviation. Every week, Shashank Nigam, the CEO of SimpliFlying, talks to Airline, airport, travel and technology executives to help make sense of the Wild-West scenario. Our mission is to show the many paths to net zero, for an industry that is one of the hardest to decarbonize. Whether you're a frequent flier, an airline Executive or just love traveling, if you care about su...
Charting the next phase of sustainable aviation: Sustainability in the Air, Vol. II
In this special episode, SimpliFlyingâs CEO Shashank Nigam and Head of Sustainability Dirk Singer sit down with senior leaders from three companies featured in their upcoming book, Sustainability in the Air, Vol. II.Â
Joining the conversation are Jonathon Counsell (Group Head of Sustainability, IAG), Diana Birkett Rakow (SVP of Public Affairs and Sustainability, Alaska Airlines), and Ashwin Jadhav (VP of Business Development, Twelve). Together, they exp...
How KLM is working towards a zero-emission future in aviation
In this episode, we speak with Jolanda Stevens, Program Manager for Zero Emission Aviation at KLM, who shares how the airline is preparing for a more sustainable future of aviation through innovative technologies and strategic investment in emerging solutions.
Stevens discusses:
KLMâs unique approach to innovation with a dedicated team focused on the âdisruptiveâ aviation technology, working on future solutions like electric and hydrogen aircraft whilst maintaining their core flight operations.How different zero-emission technologies will serve specific segments of KLMâs...How a pilot-turned-CEO transformed air travel in the Baltics
In this episode, we speak with Martin Gauss, former CEO of airBaltic, who transformed the Latvian flag carrier into one of Europeâs most innovative airlines while connecting the entire Baltic region.
Gauss discusses:
The benefits of operating a single-fleet airline with the highly efficient Airbus A220-300, resulting in 30% lower fuel consumption than older generation aircraft and contributing to airBaltic's path to carbon neutrality by 2050.airBalticâs innovative dual business model that combines scheduled operations with wet lease services for major carriers like Lufthansa Group, creating flexibility and fina...How Expliseat helps airlines cut carbon without compromising on comfort
In this episode, we speak with Amaury Barberot, CEO of Expliseat, about how the company's innovative lightweight seating technology is delivering immediate sustainability benefits for airlines while improving their bottom line.
Barberot discusses:
Expliseat's revolutionary aircraft seat design made from carbon fibre and titanium that is 30% lighter than comparable products, saving approximately 1,200 kilograms when retrofitted on an Airbus A320 or Boeing 737.The immediate environmental impact of their lightweight seats, which deliver a 6% CO2 emission reduction per passenger without requiring airlines to w...Why Swedavia sees fossil-free flying as a âlicense to operateâ
In this episode, we speak with Lena Wennberg, Chief Sustainable Development Officer, and Therese Forsström, Head of Environmental Department at Swedavia, which owns and operates 10 airports across Sweden, connecting the country both internally and with the rest of the world.
Wennberg and Forsström discuss:
Swedaviaâs achievement of fossil-free operations in 2020 in their own airport operations, backed by committed leadership that views sustainability as a âlicense to operate.âTheir ambitious goal to enable fossil-free domestic flights...How Contrails.org aims to turn contrail research into practical climate action
In this episode, we speak with Matteo Mirolo, Director of Strategy & External Relations at Contrails.org, a science-led nonprofit initiative aimed at transforming contrail research into practical climate action.Â
Mirolo discusses:
The substantial climate impact of contrails, which are responsible for 1-2% of human-caused global warming and have roughly the same warming effect as all aviation CO2 emissions since the jet age.The concentrated nature of the problem, with just 5% of flights causing about 80% of aviationâs contrail warming effect, primarily ove...How Alaska Star Ventures is funding the future of sustainable aviation
In this episode, we speak with Pasha Saleh, Head of Corporate Development at Alaska Airlines, who leads Alaska Star Ventures, the airlineâs corporate venture capital arm focused on sustainable aviation technologies. Saleh shares insights about the airlineâs approach to sustainability investments and their vision for decarbonising the industry.
Saleh discusses:
The founding vision for Alaska Star Ventures, which was established to accelerate the development of technologies that donât yet exist but are essential for achieving net zero.The invest...How Finnair celebrated its centenary with 100 sustainability initiatives
In this episode, we speak with Eveliina Huurre, Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Finnair, who shares insights about the airlineâs approach to sustainability and their ambitious targets to reduce emissions.Â
Huurre discusses:
The employee engagement initiative that yielded 300 sustainability ideas, with 100 selected for implementation during Finnairâs centenary celebrations, ranging from small cultural changes to more substantial investments in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).Finnairâs science-based target to reduce carbon emissions intensity by 34.5% by 2033 (using 2023 as the baseline), translating to approxi...Is demand management in aviation a myth or reality?
In this special episode, we bring together Patrick Edmond, Managing Director of Altair Advisory, and Shashank Nigam, CEO of SimpliFlying, to discuss whether aviation demand management is a myth or a necessary component of climate action.Â
Moderated by Dirk Singer, SimpliFlyingâs Head of Sustainability, the discussion stems from a heated LinkedIn exchange between Patrick and Shashank, sparked by Shashankâs reflections after speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. As the debate gained momentum online, many called for a...
How InfluenceMapâs data-driven approach tracks aviation climate advocacy
In this episode, we speak with Lucca Ewbank, Program Manager, Transport at InfluenceMap, who shares how the non-profit think tank uses data-driven analysis to assess corporate engagement with climate policies, and holds the corporate and financial sectors accountable for their role in climate change.
Ewbank discusses:
The significant disparity between what airlines say publicly versus what they advocate for in private meetings with policymakers, uncovered through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests that reveal how industry associations often oppose stronger climate regulations....
