Etihad's first green flight to Sydney takes off

Carrier is attempting to reduce the carbon footprint.

ABU DHABI // The first "green flight" has taken off from Abu Dhabi airport as Etihad Airways tries to reduce the aviation industry's carbon footprint.

The route of Flight EY450 to Sydney on Saturday was determined by the airline rather than traffic-control centres on the ground, resulting in a more fuel-efficient and direct flight.

MORE UAE NEWS: Our pick of today's top local news stories

New security tax on air passengers A new tax for air travellers will be modest and not hurt economic competitiveness, analysts say. Read article

Etihad's first green flight to Sydney takes off New green flight takes off from Abu Dhabi. Read article

'Sorcerer' cheated newlywed out of Dh15,000, police say Police claim African Arab man has scammed several victims out of thousands of dirhams. Read article

The project is a collaboration between Etihad and Abu Dhabi Airports Company, supported by the Indian Ocean Strategic Partnership to Reduce Emissions (Inspire).

The Department of Transport (DoT) joined forces with Inspire in April to reduce the aviation industry's carbon footprint.

"The Inspire partnership helps airline companies in their quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, an initiative that is also in synergy with fulfilling the UAE's vision for sustainable aviation," said Mohammed Hareb Al Yousef, the executive director of the DoT.

James Hogan, the chief executive of Etihad, highlighted the role of advanced technology in developing eco-friendly flights.

"By allowing airlines to plan their routes based on aircraft capabilities, for example by taking advantage of prevailing jetstreams, the savings in terms of emissions and fuel would be enormous," he said. "In recent years the advances in aircraft navigation technology have been impressive, " said Mr Hogan.