Aeroplanes flying vast distances with no passengers sounds like a plot twist in a film. However, "ghost flights" are a real phenomenon, and their existence carries significant implications for the aviation industry and our planet. While largely unseen, these flights leave tangible environmental impacts, and most people are unaware of their purpose or prevalence.

This blog will explain ghost flights, their causes, and their consequences. We’ll also explore their environmental impact and discuss initiatives to tackle this issue. By the end, you’ll understand the hidden costs of ghost flights and how we can reshape the future of sustainable travel.

"Ghost flights" refer to flights operated by airlines, often with few or no passengers on board. They are typically run solely to retain valuable airport slots, a practice driven by “use-it-or-lose-it” regulations. These regulations mandate that airlines use a certain percentage of their airport slots (often 80%) within a given timeframe or risk losing them permanently.

While ghost flights serve an operational purpose for airlines, their environmental relevance cannot be overstated. Operating empty planes is inefficient and contributes unnecessarily to aviation's already substantial carbon footprint.

Ghost flights occur for economic, regulatory, and logistical reasons. Key factors include:

1. Slot Retention:

Many airports enforce strict slot usage rules to manage traffic efficiently. Airlines often run near-empty flights to comply with these rules and avoid surrendering valuable slots to competitors.

2. Logistical Necessity:

Airlines sometimes operate aircraft to reposition them for future services. For instance, an empty plane might be relocated to a high-demand route from another location.

3. Pandemic Fallout:

Travel demand plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some airlines still operated flights to comply with slot rules. This period saw increased media coverage of ghost flights, prompting widespread concern about their environmental cost.

One particularly striking example emerged in early 2020 when dozens of airlines reported operating thousands of empty flights during pandemic lockdowns. Airlines were criticised for their wasteful practices even as global emissions dropped due to reduced travel.

Such incidents underline the tension between economic survival and environmental responsibility—a challenge central to the ongoing ghost flight debate.

Aviation already significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Ghost flights exacerbate this problem by offering minimal to no passenger service but emitting large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

To understand the true impact, consider this example: A typical passenger jet emits roughly three tonnes of CO2 per hour. For a 4-hour round trip without passengers, 12 tonnes of CO2 was added to the air with essentially no benefit.

To put this in perspective, emitting 12 tonnes of CO2 equals the annual carbon footprint of approximately two Singaporean households. Multiply that figure by thousands of ghost flights annually, and the numbers are staggering.

Aware of the growing concern, airlines and governments are taking steps to address the prevalence of ghost flights. Here’s how the issue is being tackled:

1. Flexible Booking Models:

Airlines are experimenting with models to predict demand better and adjust schedules, reducing the need for empty repositioning flights.

2. Sustainable Fuel Investments:

Some airlines are investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), ensuring even necessary ghost flights have a lesser environmental impact.

1. Temporary Rule Adjustments:

During the pandemic, many regulatory bodies (such as the European Commission) suspended slot rules to help airlines avoid running ghost flights. Advocates are now pushing for these temporary measures to become permanent.

2. International Agreements:

Policy discussions around aviation emissions are driving calls for revised slot management rules to favour sustainability.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology can help optimise flight schedules, track passenger trends, and reduce unnecessary flights. Airlines utilising AI to predict when and where planes need to be repositioned minimise wasteful operations.

As the world begins to recover from the pandemic, the future of ghost flights looks increasingly uncertain—and that’s a good thing.

The pandemic challenged many of the industry's operating assumptions. Pressure to reduce emissions is growing globally, and governments and consumers are calling for stricter environmental policies. As a glaring contributor to pointless emissions, ghost flights are unlikely to be exempt from scrutiny.

Travellers also bear some responsibility. By prioritising sustainable travel options and supporting airlines committed to greener practices, you can help shape a more responsible aviation industry. Booking tickets through Traveloka, for example, allows consumers to choose flights that align with their travel preferences while being conscious of their environmental impact.

Ghost flights represent a hidden cost of global aviation, highlighting the tension between industry regulations and environmental priorities. Understanding this issue is essential as we work towards a greener travel future.

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