On the 18th November 2019. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said it will be launching one of the world’s most fuel-efficient long-haul aircraft.

Etihad’s “Greenliner” is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that will make its first flight from Abu Dhabi to Brussels in January 2020. Etihad’s CEO Tony Douglas described the plane as a flying laboratory that could benefit the entire industry.

Douglas said the goal of the Greenliner is to be 20% more fuel efficient than other Etihad planes. Fuel costs make up about a quarter of airline spending. Etihad currently has 36 Dreamliners, and plans to operate 50, though only one will be used as the Greenliner.

Boeing and Etihad did not explain the technologies that would reduce fuel use. However in the past such efforts have focused on using new types of fuel or testing lighter materials.

Etihad says it plans to make the Greenliner a “social media star” to focus on its achievements. Douglas said anything that Eithad and Boeing learn from the plane will be shared for free worldwide.

The World’s First Passenger Flight using Bio-fuel

Earlier in 2019, Etihad flew the world’s first passenger flight using bio-fuel made from a plant that grows in saltwater. It also became the first in the Middle East to operate a flight without any single-use plastics on board to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Flying creates about 2.5% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. And the number of air travellers is expected to increase rapidly. And while cars are beginning to use batteries to reduce emissions, making electric planes is far more difficult.

Many people in Europe and North America are avoiding air travel because it releases high levels of carbon dioxide, with some activists “flight shaming” travellers for their carbon footprint. Most recently, Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan were criticised for flying on private jets while calling for more action on climate change.