Much more than a PR stunt

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STRAMBI: The airline industry needs to keep growing, but in a sustainable way.

Virgin Atlantic's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint are no marketing gimmick, chief operating officer Lyell Strambi tells Arabian Travel News.

Out-there marketing campaigns, business experiments and initiatives deemed risqué such as commercial space flights are synonymous with UK entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, who is perhaps most well-known for his successful airline Virgin Atlantic.

But when it comes to protecting the environment and ensuring his businesses are sustainable, Branson means business.

Most recently Virgin's tireless frontman launched the first biofuel demonstration flight using a combination of babassu oil and coconut, both of which are environmentally and socially sustainable.

Media-savvy Branson was pictured with the aircraft's pilot sipping the stuff, which led cynics to brand this as nothing more than a PR gimmick.

But this couldn't be further from the truth as those nearest and dearest to Branson in a business capacity will testify.

"We get annoyed when people say it's a PR gimmick or a marketing stunt," says Virgin Atlantic chief operating officer Lyell Strambi.

If you go back two years when Richard made a big announcement about renewable fuels, he made a big commitment because he cares about the planet and he sees a business opportunity. He is prepared to take some risks," he explains.

"At the same time he told the managers of all of the Virgin businesses, ‘I want you to start doing something in your business right now [in terms of sustainability initiatives]'. He also told us that he wanted each of us to play an industry leadership role."

Strambi says that by investing in biofuels Branson wanted to "challenge the industry". "He recognises that his reputation and brand can influence the world and that should extend to all the Virgin group companies," he says.

That's no mean feat for Strambi given that in the case of Virgin Atlantic, 99% of the company's carbon emissions are from aircraft tail pipes.

However, the airline has already initiated several carbon-emission cutting schemes that it hopes will eventually influence the entire aviation industry.

Strambi reminds us that every day, aircraft are taxiing with their engines running.

"New York is one of the worst examples where planes can taxi for up to one hour with all their engines running," he says.

"We have therefore asked to be towed right out to a starting grid place before we start the engines. You can save four to five tonnes of fuel by not taxiing for an hour and by getting towed instead.

"It's a compounding affect because you have to carry more fuel to taxi and then you are heavier when you fly so you burn up more fuel.

Strambi says that in the grand scheme of things, airports need to be re-designed to shorten taxiing times and allow for aircraft to be towed.

He also notes that the landing gear is not designed to be towed so Virgin is working with aircraft manufacturers to redesign the landing gear with technology to motorise landing gear wheels.

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