Google partners with Travalyst like Booking.com, Expedia, and… | kbnmart

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Google, a key partner in the Travalyst alliance founded by Prince Harry, has been instrumental in developing models to measure airline emissions. Launched in 2022 with the International Council on Clean Transportation, the Travel Impact Model helps Travalyst partners such as Booking.com, Expedia and Skyscanner publish flight emissions estimates. Major travel platforms such as Google Flights, Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport and Trip.com Group also use the model to inform travellers about the environmental impact of their trips.

Recently, Cirium, an aviation analytics company, introduced the Emerald Sky Methodology, which measures emissions and fuel burn down to seat level. The innovation is aimed at business travel companies, airlines, and aircraft finance companies. Although Cirium and Travelist are fundamentally different organizations, they are complementary. Cirium is currently in discussions with the International Council on Clean Transportation, which chairs the advisory committee for Google’s Travel Impact Model, to explore opportunities for collaboration.

The Travel Impact Model allows travelers using platforms like Google Flights to assess the emissions impact of their choices. For example, a JetBlue flight from Heathrow to JFK might show 13% higher emissions than average, while a Lufthansa Airlines/Condor Airlines flight might show 9% lower emissions. “Clear, reliable information about sustainability is essential to making informed decisions,” said Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst. This consistency builds trust and extends the reach of the Travel Impact Model across the Travalyst alliance, allowing users to access standardized flight emissions estimates on platforms like Amadeus, Booking.com, Expedia, and others.

Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen stressed that their method measures emissions based on the actual aircraft configuration, providing more accurate data than general averages. Cirium sees potential for collaboration with Travalyst if suitable projects arise, although their focus is different.

Besides Travalyst, other entities in the travel industry such as HRS use different sustainability methodologies. HRS, which focuses on the hospitality sector, uses methodologies from the Global Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and the HRS Green Stay Initiative to measure carbon footprint data at the property level, which helps in sustainable purchasing strategies.

These advanced methodologies from Google and Cirium enhance the accuracy and transparency of airline emissions measurement, promoting more informed, environmentally friendly travel decisions.

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