easyJet and Airbus: Pioneering Carbon Capture in Aviation

easyJet has made history by becoming the first airline to partner with Airbus on its carbon capture initiative, signalling a step forward in the aviation industry's journey towards net-zero carbon emissions.

The move involves Airbus’ Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) technology, a process that removes CO2 directly from the atmosphere and safely stores it underground, with easyJet purchasing carbon removal credits as part of the Airbus Carbon Capture Offer. These credits represent easyJet’s commitment to offsetting residual emissions and aligning with its ambitious decarbonisation goals.

As the leading airline in Europe for its extensive route network and value-driven fares, easyJet is expanding its sustainability efforts to ensure its business practices align with environmental priorities.

easyJet flew more than 69 million passengers in 2022, with 9.5 million business travellers and it continues to operate one of the region’s largest fleets, comprising more than 300 aircraft across nearly 1,000 routes and serving 150 airports in 35 countries.

With a customer base in excess of 300 million people living within an hour of an easyJet airport, the airline recognises its responsibility to reduce its environmental impact on a significant scale.

Pioneering carbon capture with Airbus and 1PointFive

The DACCS technology involved in this agreement uses large fans to draw in ambient air, which then passes through contactors where CO2 is absorbed by a potassium hydroxide solution.

The CO2 is then separated, purified and either stored underground or converted into sustainable fuels. By capturing emissions directly from the air, DACCS technology provides a vital solution for industries, such as aviation, that find it difficult to reduce emissions at the source.

This carbon removal technology aligns with other key components in easyJet’s decarbonisation plan.

Alongside DACCS, the airline’s strategy includes fleet renewal, optimised operations and modernised airspace, as well as the adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). While SAF can lower the carbon footprint of flights, DACCS provides a way to capture emissions that cannot be removed through alternative means.

As Thomas Haagensen, Group Markets Director at easyJet, explains: “Decarbonising a hard-to-abate sector, such as aviation, is a huge challenge and we believe carbon removal will play an important role in addressing our residual emissions in the future, complementing other components to help us achieve our pathway to net zero.”

Airbus has committed to buying 400,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits from its partner 1PointFive, which is developing a DACCS facility in Texas's Permian Basin.

Once operational in 2024, the facility is expected to capture up to one million tonnes of CO2 annually, providing a crucial resource for the aviation sector's decarbonisation.

Its partnership with 1PointFive has enabled easyJet to secure credits from 2026 to 2029, supporting its immediate emission goals and preparing the airline for long-term sustainability.

Airbus’ Chief Sustainability Officer, Julie Kitcher, emphasises: “easyJet is a strong advocate of decarbonisation, for its operations and the wider aviation sector.

"This agreement demonstrates the airline’s willingness to extend its environmental commitment through Airbus’ Carbon Capture Offer.”

Committing to a net-zero future

For over 25 years, easyJet has led the aviation sector in digital, engineering and operational innovations, making travel more accessible and efficient.

Today, the airline is building on this legacy by targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. easyJet has been a signatory of the UN’s Race to Zero initiative since 2021 and recently published its decarbonisation roadmap.

This plan includes an ambitious interim target to cut carbon emissions intensity by 35% by 2035, compared to 2019 levels, an effort already well underway as the airline has cut emissions per passenger kilometre by one-third since 2000.

easyJet’s approach extends beyond technology to encompass corporate responsibility and community engagement.

The airline operates across Europe, employing people locally in full compliance with national labour laws and supporting a range of charities. Its decade-long partnership with UNICEF has raised more than £16m (US$20.7m) to help vulnerable children globally. 

With partners like Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN Aerospace, easyJet is exploring zero-emission aircraft technologies that may one day make fully carbon-neutral flying possible.

Airbus’ collaboration with easyJet exemplifies how partnerships within the aviation industry can drive change toward a sustainable future. This multi-pronged approach of carbon capture, fleet renewal and SAF shows how the aviation industry can tackle emissions through combined efforts.

As Airbus, easyJet and other partners continue to develop and scale these initiatives, carbon-neutral air travel could move from concept to reality.

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