TUI Airline Implements Machine-Learning Tech to Cut Fuel Burn

TUI Airline Implements Machine-Learning Tech to Cut Fuel Burn on Climb-Out

SITA OptiClimb® technology is in use by all five TUI Group airlines.

TUI Airline has fully implemented the SITA OptiClimb® solution across all five of its airlines as part of the group’s sustainability agenda to reduce airline emissions. The wider deployment of SITA’s innovative technology follows the success of its partial deployment, saving up to 200 kg of fuel and 600 kg of CO2 per aircraft per day.

Aircraft climb is the most fuel-intensive phase of a flight. SITA OptiClimb® is an innovative predictive analytics solution that uses machine learning to build tail-specific performance models. Fed with 4D weather forecasts and operational flight plan inputs, these models predict fuel burn scenarios. The solution then provides pilots with customized climb speeds and acceleration levels specific to each tail and flight to optimize fuel without compromising flight times.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), fuel represents almost 30% of an airline’s operating costs and is the biggest contributor to aviation emissions. Airlines are adopting innovative digital applications like SITA OptiClimb® to deliver more immediate fuel and emission reductions to complement longer-term strategies like sustainable aviation fuels and fleet renewal.

SITA estimates that if every airline used SITA OptiClimb®, it would save approximately 5.6 million tons of carbon annually.

Partially deployed by several TUI airlines in 2022, SITA OptiClimb® is now fully deployed across all five airlines in the TUI Group comprising TUI Airways, TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Germany, TUI fly Netherlands, and TUI fly Nordic. The solution delivered total savings for TUI Airline of around 4,500 tons of fuel and 14,000 tons of carbon in 2022.

This article was originally published by SITA.