5 Key Sustainability Questions to Ask About
Your Fractional Jet Ownership Provider

In recent years, the private aviation industry has come under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impacts and efficiencies regarding individual jet utilization. Accordingly, aircraft operators have responded with a variety of efforts aimed at reducing the industry’s environmental footprint.

These efforts vary greatly in scope and effectiveness. Some have a measurable and demonstrable impact on an operator’s footprint, while others cater primarily to optics, utilizing unverified or poorly verified efforts that can bring additional scrutiny and subject their clients to the same.

How, then, does one make sense of the variety of so-called sustainability offerings available on the market today? Moreover, how does one implement and maintain a verified sustainability program throughout the course of a fractional ownership commitment without having to invest significant time and effort into becoming a subject matter expert?

To simplify your learning curve, below are five key questions to ask a prospective private jet provider as they relate to nuanced world of aviation sustainability.

1.) Does your private jet provider utilize a sustainability program?

In an era where environmental consciousness is no longer a choice, but a necessity, abstaining from sustainability efforts is no longer tenable. With an audience of shareholders, employees or members of the general public, the importance of maintaining an ongoing, comprehensive sustainability program extends beyond environmental responsibility. In the realm of private jet travel, sustainability considerations are increasing in breadth, depth and complexity. The responsibility to manage and administer these efforts requires dedicated and qualified expertise.

At Flexjet, we recognize how critical it is to do our part. Accordingly, since 2021 we have actively engaged with our sustainability partner, 4AIR, to offset 100% of our fleet’s carbon emissions at no additional cost to our aircraft Owners. Just as importantly, we are able to demonstrate our efforts with independently verified data, ensuring it holds up to even the closest scrutiny.

2.) DOES YOUR OPERATOR PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH ESG AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS?

As you navigate sustainability in your flying, everyone is watching—but some are watching more closely than others. Modern aviation operations encompass far more than just flying itself. This is why it’s critical to select a private jet travel provider that provides comprehensive support beyond the simple reselling of carbon credits.

With a team of experienced specialists available to support your ongoing needs, Flexjet and 4AIR provide a wide variety of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting solutions relating to your utilization of private aircraft. Whether you are interested in demonstrating your aviation-related sustainability efforts to employees, prospective employees, shareholders or board members, Flexjet and 4AIR can evaluate your travel and package the data most relevant to you and your audience.

Best of all, Flexjet and 4AIR provide this unprecedented support at no additional cost to aircraft Owners, making it easier than ever to demonstrate your operation’s commitment to stakeholders.

3.) DOES YOUR PROVIDER’S SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM IMPLEMENT TRANSPARENT, INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED EMISSION REDUCTION EFFORTS?

All sustainability efforts and programs are not the same. On one end of the spectrum, a private jet operator might sign on with a newly formed third party that promises much but provides little. These companies might trade in unverified carbon credits, for example, or they might simply brand a fourth party’s product as their own.

On the other end of the spectrum, a credible flight provider will work closely with a well-established firm dedicated to aviation sustainability. They will collaborate across a wide variety of targeted and measurable efforts, providing ongoing support and consulting to precisely match the unique needs of the end user. This is what Flexjet does in partnership with 4AIR.

An industry leader in aviation sustainability, 4AIR secures permanent, quantifiable, independently verified carbon offsets from established groups such as Verra, the American Carbon Registry and Gold Standard. Through a stringent initial evaluation process and regular, ongoing audits, global projects such as forestry, renewable energy and new efficiencies are validated to ensure they provide actual carbon offsets, reductions or avoidances that correspond to each carbon credit.

4.) DOES YOUR PROVIDER’S SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM ENABLE YOU TO CALIBRATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS?

When it comes to sustainability in private aviation, one size does not fit all. Some operators are satisfied with a simple program that makes their flying carbon-neutral and nothing more. Other operators opt to go beyond basic levels with more comprehensive efforts. Well-established sustainability partners will provide a thorough portfolio of options that can be easily implemented and fine-tuned as your operation’s needs evolve over time.

Flexjet and 4AIR provide various options to take your sustainability efforts beyond basic carbon offsets. For a small additional hourly cost, you can opt up and take advantage of 4AIR’s higher sustainability ratings. Level Two, for example, offsets aviation emissions that stem from non-carbon pollutants such as water vapor, aerosols and nitrous oxides. Level Three incorporates the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) that reduces life-cycle emissions by as much as 90%, and Level Four funds the development of emerging technologies through grants and university research.

As your flying, your audiences and the priorities of your stakeholders evolve over time, it’s critical to ensure your sustainability program has the capability to evolve correspondingly. The ideal charter, jet card or fractional ownership provider has a program in place that enables this calibration to be easily conducted in a simple, turnkey manner.

5.) HOW WILL YOUR PROVIDER’S SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM CONTINUE TO LEAD AND OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO YOU TO DO THE SAME?

For aviation to continue to thrive, we need to continue to innovate. With ongoing advances in aircraft and powerplant technology, it is important for an operator’s fleet to keep pace. From the latest Gulfstream models to the just-introduced Challenger 3500, Flexjet’s fleet does precisely this, with innovations ranging from aerodynamic refinements that reduce drag to engine developments that improve fuel efficiency.

Advanced aircraft are only as efficient as the manner in which they’re flown. Fortunately, Flexjet’s maintenance and operations professionals in the new, cutting-edge Global Operations Control Center constantly monitor all flights in real-time, seeking out the most efficient routing and aircraft utilization possible. Innovations currently in development include continuous descent operations, contrail prediction and mitigation and investment in next-generation solutions such as electric aircraft and EVTOLs for urban mobility.

Finally, a provider must actively seek out and leverage emerging fuel alternatives such as SAF. Flexjet sees SAF as a near-term solution. In concert with aircraft Owners opting up to incorporate expanded SAF use, Flexjet is aiming to utilize it for 12% of all operations by 2030.

Although aviation represents just about 2% of global CO2 emissions worldwide and business aviation makes up only 2% of that footprint – fractional jet ownership providers like Flexjet have an opportunity to lead by example. For travelers interested in minimizing their environmental footprint and insulating themselves against increasing scrutiny, selecting an experienced operator with expertise and resources dedicated to sustainability is key and in partnership with 4AIR, Flexjet continues to lead the way.