Flexjet LLC, a global leader in fractional private jet travel, today announced that it has achieved carbon-neutral flight operations through its partnership with 4AIR, the first and only rating system focused on comprehensive sustainability in private aviation. Since January 2021, Flexjet has been purchasing credits to offset carbon emissions from all flights booked by its US-based Owners. With 4AIR’s expertise and assistance, Flexjet’s verified credits will fund carbon offset projects which will negate the impact of emissions generated by its aircraft at no additional expense to its Owners.
“Flexjet has long been on the leading edge of applying innovation to its operations, and our partnership with 4AIR brings that same spirit to protecting the environment,” said Flexjet Chief Executive Officer Michael Silvestro. “In supporting carbon offset projects around the world, Flexjet can offer peace of mind that today’s efforts are having an immediate positive impact on the environment.”
While some major private aviation providers have put the financial burden of carbon offsets on their customers, Flexjet is taking on that financial responsibility. In fact, in January, Flexjet began offsetting 100% of the CO2 emissions from all of its US-based aircraft for its Owners – including emissions from the company’s internal airline, Project Lift, which transports Flexjet pilots to their flight assignments.
This offset program is being done without any additional expense to Flexjet Owners. The company is on track to offset 400,000 metric tons of carbon by the end of 2021. This action results in immediate impact on the environment, not in some future decade.
And because Flexjet considers sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to be an important piece of the global warming solution puzzle, the company is working with 4AIR to offer Owners the option of upgrading their sustainability commitment by using SAF for their flights where it is available.
Through offsetting all flights and offering SAF, Flexjet has taken immediate steps to minimize Owners’ impact on the environment while enabling them to support the technologies of tomorrow’s sustainability.
The industry-leading verified offsets purchased through 4AIR support a half-dozen projects including solar, wind and forestry initiatives. One example is the Cookstove Project in Rwanda, which distributes fuel-efficient cookstoves to families living in rural Rwandan communities who cook over open fires inside their homes. Using these stoves instead of open fires, the families will reduce the amount of wood and coal consumed, reduce the time they must spend collecting the fuel (in some cases hours each day), reduce the dangerous air pollutants released into their homes and reduce carbon dioxide production – a leading cause of global warming.
Flexjet selected 4AIR to manage the offsets, standards, verification, validation and retirement of carbon credits through the most respected and international leading bodies that issue and register credits.
The 4AIR rating framework offers benchmarks that are aligned with industrywide carbon reduction goals and consistent with international standards. The framework offers various levels, each with specific, science-based goals, independently verified results and progressively greater impacts on sustainability. For 2021, Flexjet has committed to the 4AIR Bronze level, under which its flight operations will be carbon-neutral by offsetting all of its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with verified carbon offset credits.
For more on the program: www.flexjet.com/sustainability.