Detailed FAQs
British Airways is proud to be an industry leader in tackling climate change, driving urgent action towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and investing in the development of sustainable aviation fuel and zero emissions aircraft. Over the next 20 years, British Airways’ parent company IAG will invest $865 million in the development of sustainable aviation fuel. It is the first European airline group to commit to powering 10 per cent of all flights with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
Carbon offsetting enables individuals and businesses to balance their carbon emissions by paying for equivalent carbon savings made by specially designed projects around the world. Offsetting one tonne of CO2 will result in one tonne of CO2 less in the atmosphere. For examples, projects may support rainforest protection or may advance low emissions cook stoves and energy efficiency projects in developing countries. Carbon offsets are issued by independent carbon certification bodies once a project has demonstrated it has removed, reduced, or avoided carbon, following the guidance of the respective carbon certification body it is certified or registered with. Carbon offsets need to meet basic principles: be additional, be measurable and auditable, be permanent, and be unique. Offsetting is one important element on the journey to net zero emissions, and it provides financing to accelerate carbon savings that would not have happened without it.
Reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions also requires investment in and scaling of solutions that remove carbon dioxide from the carbon cycle. Carbon removals refer to projects and technologies that do just this. Carbon removal methods are diverse, and range from nature-based solutions (leveraging reforestation, soil, mangroves), to biomass-based pathways (biochar), to technologies like Direct Air Capture (DAC). It is important to note that different solutions have different levels of "durability" or "permanence" -- referring to the length of time for which these solutions sequester the carbon.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is an alternative to fossil-based conventional jet fuel that has significantly lower life-cycle carbon emissions. SAF is designed to meet the same strict quality standards as conventional jet fuel so that it can simply be mixed into existing aircraft and fuel infrastructure. SAF is made from renewable sustainable sources such as used cooking oil or household waste that would have gone to landfill. When the lifecycle emissions of SAF are calculated, they result in around 80-95% less CO2 emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
Carbon offsetting enables individuals and businesses to balance their carbon emissions by paying for equivalent carbon savings made by specially designed projects around the world. Offsetting one tonne of CO2 will result in one tonne of CO2 less in the atmosphere. Some examples of projects are renewable energy, low emissions cook stoves and energy efficiency projects in developing countries, that reduce the amount of CO2 emissions in the environment.
Carbon offsets and removals are issued by independent carbon certification bodies once a project has demonstrated it has reduced, avoided, or captured emissions of carbon, following the guidance of the respective carbon certification body it is certified or registered with. Each emission reduction needs to meet basic principles to qualify as carbon offset: be additional, be measurable and auditable, be permanent, and be unique.
Offsetting is an important element on the journey to net zero emissions, providing finance to accelerate carbon savings that would not have happened without it.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is an alternative to fossil-based conventional jet fuel that has significantly lower life-cycle carbon emissions. SAF is designed to meet the same strict quality standards as conventional jet fuel so that it can simply be mixed into existing aircraft and fuel infrastructure. SAF is made from renewable sustainable sources such as used cooking oil or household waste that would have gone to landfill. When the lifecycle emissions of SAF are calculated, they result in around 80-95% less CO2 emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
The price you see represents the total cost to deliver the carbon offset service. All of the funds collected, excluding taxes and the fees charged by CHOOOSE on each transaction, are applied directly to carbon offsets sourced from certified projects and/or to Sustainable Aviation Fuel. For each transaction, a small administrative and technology fee is charged and received by CHOOOSE™. The administrative and technology fee is USD 0.42 per passenger per flight, and this contributes to cover CHOOOSE’s running costs.
Please first read our FAQs on this page. If you need to speak to us directly, please email us at ba-support@chooose.today.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Sustainable fuels are produced using renewable or recycled waste carbon meaning that British Airways displaces a litre of conventional jet fuel for every litre of SAF that it consumes. SAF has been shown to provide significant reductions in overall CO2 lifecycle emissions compared to fossil fuels, and for waste-derived fuels these can be more than 90%. Furthermore, SAF contains fewer impurities (such as sulphur), so it has lower air quality impacts than conventional jet fuel. Most of the SAF in production at the moment are based on waste oils and fats. British Airways is working on new supply chains using municipal waste that it hopes will be commercially available within the next 2 years.
The CO2 emissions associated with the SAF you purchase will be allocated only to you and this will be audited for British Airways by an independent assurance company.
Similar to green electricity tariffs, there isn’t a special SAF infrastructure that sends SAF to particular flights. Instead, the SAF will be procured and ‘dropped-in’ i.e. mixed into the existing fuel infrastructure. This is because the SAF is blended with conventional fuel before it reaches an aircraft. To maximise efficiency, SAF is put into the fuel infrastructure system at strategic locations rather than at multiple locations. Nevertheless, this purchase-based approach to attribution of SAF means that the SAF you buy can be attributed to you. SAF can be purchased for a flight either in advance, during or after the flight you intend to make carbon neutral. British Airways will ensure that the SAF is sourced and consumed no later than 12 months after a customer has made a SAF purchase.
British Airways purchase a combination of SAF supplies that are made from different sustainable feedstocks that may include used cooking oil, household waste or other feedstocks that meet strict sustainability criteria. The SAF sources you are purchasing are based on wastes and residues and this ensures they deliver high CO2 reductions, typically 80-95% lower than conventional jet fuel per litre.
We ensure that the SAF supplied has been through a detailed sustainability assessment using recognised sustainability certification systems. These assessment systems are independently verified and ensure that the fuel has genuinely been derived from waste-based sources. The certification process also ensures that the whole life cycle greenhouse gas emissions are accurately calculated and that systems are in place to minimise the impact of producing the fuel.
SAF is not presently produced in large volumes and many technologies are still under development, so the production costs are much higher than for conventional jet fuel. British Airways and its parent International Airlines Group are investing $865m over the next 20 years to help development of this important industry. By selecting to purchase SAF, you are helping to accelerate the development of this new sustainable avenue for aviation as well as being one of the first in the world to have made their flight carbon neutral using SAF.
Carbon Removals
Reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions requires investment in and scaling of solutions that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and from the carbon cycle on a long-term basis. Carbon removals refer to projects and technologies that do just this. Carbon removal methods are diverse, and leverage both natural and technology-based processes. Examples include (but are not limited to):
(1) Afforestation and reforestation – Growing trees in locations that were not previously forested or growing trees where they used to grow but have since been depleted.
(2) Improved forest management – Adjusting management practices to increase the carbon stored in forests relative to their baseline.
(3) Biomass storage through biochar – Converting biomass into biochar without oxygen (pyrolysis) modifies the carbon structures such that they are no longer readily broken down (i.e., they're more durable), thus removing carbon from the carbon cycle for potentially hundreds of years.
(4) Biomass Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) – Capturing carbon released during the combustion of biomass and sequestering it.
(5) Direct Air Capture (DAC) – Leveraging technology to remove carbon from the air for storage underground or for use (utilisation) in a variety of products.
(6) CO2 Mineralization – Leveraging processes that bind carbon with minerals such that they are removed from the atmosphere and stored in carbonate rock.
While carbon offsets are delivered by projects that remove, avoid, or reduce emissions, "carbon removals" strictly refer to projects that remove carbon. Put differently, when you purchase carbon removals, you are supporting projects (e.g., nature-based solutions or technologies) that withdraw carbon from the atmosphere or remove it from the carbon cycle, and then store the carbon for the medium to long-term. When you support traditional carbon offsetting projects by purchasing Verified Emission Reduction (VER) units, you may be supporting a project that removes carbon, or it may reduce carbon, or it may avoid carbon.
Today, nature-based solutions that remove carbon are often verified by the same certification standards that verify other carbon offsets, and so if you are focused on removals, you need to independently confirm that they are removing carbon as opposed to reducing or avoiding it. Other forms of carbon removals are often verified by different certification standards (like Puro.Earth).
Carbon Offsetting
The following types of carbon credit projects presently exist:
1. Renewable Energy – Including hydro, wind, and photovoltaic solar power, solar hot water and biomass power and heat production.
2. Energy Efficiency – these projects are fundamentally about using LESS energy (e.g. LED lighting or installing more efficient cooking stoves).
3. Forestry – Forestry projects can involve either afforestation (the establishment of a new forest or reforestation (rebuilding existing forests.) REDD+ (a UN standard) projects stand for Reducing Emissions from Reforestation and Forest Degradation.
4. Transport – These projects may involve switching transportation to less carbon intensive means or introducing new technologies to improve vehicle fuel efficiency.
5. Agriculture – By changing agricultural process techniques to methods which are more environmentally friendly, significant reductions in carbon emission can be achieved.
6. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) – Projects which improve access to water, water treatment, improved sanitation and hygiene which contribute to climate change mitigation/adaptation can provide offsets.
7. Methane Capture – There are two types of methane projects. The first type captures and burns (flares) methane, converting it to less potent carbon dioxide and water. Alternatively, projects can capture methane and use it to produce hot water or electricity.
8. Waste management and handling – These include projects that reduce the emissions from waste or water management such as composting, biogas etc.
Key criteria that determine the quality of a credit include:
• Real – The offsets are tangible and measurable
• Additionality – The emissions reduction would not have occurred in the absence of the project.
• Permanence – The project delivers the claimed emissions reductions in a sustained manner over time.
• No Leakage – The emissions reduction achieved with the project does not lead to an increase in emissions elsewhere.
• Retired permanently – Following the sale of the carbon credit, it is permanently removed from the market mechanism, ensuring that the offsets there is no double counting or double selling.
• Verifiability – A robust audit trail demonstrating the project’s goals and its delivery against those goals.
The price of a carbon credit depends on many factors, including supply and demand in the market and the quality, type, size, and geographical location of the project and the credit age (vintage) – but most importantly, the value that credit creates.
The availability of credits will change depending on supply and demand factors as well.
Regulated, mandatory or compliance carbon markets are regional, national or international regimes, enforced through legislation. The most comprehensive of these is the European Emissions Trading System. British Airways is a long-standing supporter of carbon trading to achieve robust carbon pricing at the least cost to customers.
Voluntary carbon offset markets enable organisations and individuals to offset their emissions by purchasing offsets that were created either through the Clean Development Mechanism (a UN led initiative born out of the Kyoto Protocol) or in the voluntary market. Voluntary credits help to serve micro projects that are too small to warrant the administrative burden or not covered under mandatory compliance schemes. Credits generated under these schemes are called Voluntary Emission Reductions (VERs).
The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance is a non-profit organisation made up of the leading carbon reduction and offset providers in the voluntary carbon market.
We adhere to the International Carbon Reduction and Offsetting Alliance’s (ICROA) Code of Best Practice.
ICROA is working with leading academic institutions to understand the drivers of the voluntary market, and to research and demonstrate the additional non-carbon benefits of voluntary offsetting. For example, a recent study by Gold Standard finds that for every carbon credit issued from a clean cook stove project, £219 in economic value is created. For domestic biogas projects, the average value created is £380 per credit.
Cost & Pricing
Cost per tonne and cost per mile may vary depending on:
The project you select – projects vary in price, as described above.
Emissions factors – see FAQ about emission factors.
The carbon credits we are offering vary in price from approximately £8.00-£11.00 per tonne.
Each project has a different price depending on technology, location, carbon standard etc.
Once you have completed the carbon credit purchase, no refund can be made if you change your mind or in case of cancellation, rebooking or cancellation of the flight that you have offset.
Our Carbon Calculator
We combine the data that you enter with data from the airline to calculate your emissions. If your flight is within Europe, we adjust the emissions calculation to reflect the emissions already reduced by British Airways’ participation in regulatory systems including the UK and EU Emissions Trading Systems so that we aren’t double counting these emissions.
Our calculator uses average historical British Airways data from the most recent full year. If your flight is within Europe, we adjust the emissions calculation to reflect the emissions already reduced by British Airways’ participation in regulatory systems including the UK and EU Emissions Trading Systems so that we aren’t double counting these emissions.
Other calculators may use factors that are specific to a particular airline, or standard government factors. Other reasons for differences include the extent to which data is split by cabin class and whether non-CO2 effects are included. Given that the relative scale of non-CO2 impact is uncertain and subject to ongoing research, we are using a radiative forcing index of 1. This will be reviewed when further information becomes available.
This is up to you. Offsets are based on the number of passengers using a seat on the aircraft. If your child is old enough to sit on their own in a seat, then you can offset for them. If they are a baby in arms, then no offset is needed.
An emission factor is a number that has been calculated using historical information about an activity and its emissions to give the quantity of emissions per unit of activity. In order to calculate carbon emissions for your flight the total distance is multiplied by the relevant emission factor for the aircraft cabin that you have selected. CO2e factors are calculated from average historical British Airways data from the most recent full year. The emission metric we use is the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) which takes into account other greenhouse gas emissions produced by aircraft, as defined by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
CHOOOSE and British Airways are working towards enabling you to offset during your booking process as soon as possible. We have chosen to offer customers the opportunity to offset now rather than wait for changes to booking systems..
The data in the calculator is updated regularly based on:
• Annual emissions factor data provided by British Airways.
• Changes to emissions regimes.
Flying and Carbon Emissions
Aircraft engines burn fuel in order to transport passengers from one place to another. This process creates CO2 and other emissions.
These total emissions are divided among passengers, taking into account the fact that passengers in business and first class have larger seat room and increased luggage allowances.
The factors that determine the emissions for a journey are:
•Arrival and departure point – this determines distance and fuel consumption.
•Number of passengers.
•Travel class.
•Carbon emission factor – this determines the CO2 equivalent per kilometre.
The UK and EU Emissions Trading Systems (ETS) work by setting a limit (or cap) on the amount of CO2 emissions that are allowed from obligated industries e.g. power generation, aviation, fuels and chemicals production. Companies are required to reduce their emissions or buy emission reduction credits from other companies in the system that have reduced their emissions and thereby have allowances to sell. CO2 allowance units equal to the cap are distributed by governments to airlines either freely or through auctions. Airlines that emit CO2 above their cap must buy emission reduction units from other companies that have reduced their emissions below their cap and thereby have allowance units to sell.
British Airways calculates its individual ETS cap and which of its emissions are already accounted for through the ETS. ETS CO2 allowance units purchased by British Airways above its individual cap are treated as emissions reductions achieved through emissions trading. To make your flight carbon neutral, for flights regulated by emissions trading, we subtract the CO2 allowance units above British Airways’ individual emissions cap that the airline has paid for through the ETS to leave the remaining residual CO2 emissions that need to be offset.
CORSIA, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, is the climate regulation agreed by the international UN body the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The regulation addresses the increase in total CO2 emissions from international aviation above a historical baseline so that net CO2 emissions between participating countries do not grow in future.
CORSIA’s obligations have already started. As of 1 January 2019, all carriers are required to report their CO2 emissions on an annual basis. Airlines are required to offset growth emissions from 2021 onwards, so from 2021 we will adjust the offset calculation to take account of emission reductions required by CORSIA.
In addition to greenhouse gas emissions including CO2, aircraft also cause non-CO2 climate effects such as condensation trails. Research into these effects and the appropriate metrics to characterise them continues. Radiative forcing is a metric or measurement basis that aims to combine the CO2 and non-CO2 climate effects. Given that the relative scale of impact is uncertain and subject to ongoing research, we are using a radiative forcing index of 1. This will be reviewed when further information becomes available.