Air travel

Electric aircraft startups are having a topsy-turvy week

Beta Technologies raised over $300M for its novel eVTOL aircraft while Lilium filed for insolvency, highlighting the hurdles facing the nascent market

By Maria Gallucci . 5 November 2024

An all-electric aircraft prototype takes flight. (Beta Technologies)

Air travel

Major airlines are teaming up to tackle planet-warming plane contrails

American, Southwest and United are joining with Airbus, Boeing, RMI and researchers in an effort to mitigate heat-trapping condensation trails.

By Maria Gallucci . 21 November 2022
Air travel

Iceland: Land of Fire and Ice — and 'carbon-free' flights?

Icelandair plans to use only hydrogen- and battery-powered planes for in-country routes by the end of this decade.

By Maria Gallucci . 1 November 2022
Air travel

193 countries pledge to slash air-travel emissions by 2050

It's the first international agreement of its kind for the hard-to-decarbonize aviation industry, but critics say the nonbinding target lacks teeth.

By Maria Gallucci . 10 October 2022
Air travel

CO2-to-vodka startup Air Company aims higher with aviation fuel

The company uses captured carbon dioxide to make sustainable aviation fuel at its reactor in New York City. JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic have pledged huge orders.

By Maria Gallucci . 22 September 2022
Podcast

Booking your first zero-emissions flight

Electric and hydrogen-fueled planes are coming. But will they really decarbonize aviation?

Play

By Shayle Kann . 18 August 2022
Air travel

The new climate law will help clean up air travel

The Inflation Reduction Act, which passed Congress this week, will provide new tax credits and research funding for sustainable aviation fuel.

By Maria Gallucci . 12 August 2022
Air travel

Can battery-powered airplanes decarbonize air travel?

A new study says not likely, but electric aircraft still have a role to play in cleaning up the aviation industry.

By Maria Gallucci . 13 July 2022
Air travel

ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-powered test plane is nearly ready for takeoff

The California startup will fly its 19-seat prototype in the U.K. and U.S. this summer as the aviation industry searches for zero-emissions fuels.

By Maria Gallucci . 22 June 2022
Air travel

Major airlines are getting serious about hydrogen-powered planes

Delta, Airbus and others are launching tests to find the best way to replace dirty jet fuel.

By Maria Gallucci . 25 March 2022
Air travel

Hydrogen-powered planes could handle a third of passenger air travel, study finds

Airbus has designed zero-emissions concept aircraft, but they won't be ready for short-range commercial operations until 2035.

By Maria Gallucci . 26 January 2022