Airlines Care Less About the Environment Than They Lead You to Believe

In a Las Vegas hotel ballroom a couple of months ago, Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle promised to reveal how he had solved a question vexing airlines: How to build an environmentally sustainable business without sacrificing profits. Calling Frontier "America's Greenest Airline," Biffle explained it would buy the newest airplanes, cram them with seats, and fly them longer each day than competitors. Inside, Frontier would offer zero amenities — no Wi-Fi, in-seat power, or entertainment — while charging extra for everything, including baggage, food and sodas. "Look, it is not the most comfortable for a couple of hours," Biffle told hundreds of industry insiders, "but it is the most comfortable that you will find for the planet." The world is facing a climate change crisis, and Biffle essentially mocked it, repackaging the airline's existing model, and congratulating himself for environment stewardship. Yes, packing on spartan (and light) seats reduces per-passenger emissions, but Biffle, a former Spirit Airlines executive, loved that strategy well before most travelers worried about sustainability. It saves money. Frontier is not only airline taking creative licenses. Airline executives know pressure is mounting because of data showing carriers are among the world's worst polluters, accounting for roughly 2.4 percent of all global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use, a 32 percent increase over five years, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation. They understand they must react, so their press offices send releases about environmental stewa