Cathay Pacific Expands Google-Backed Contrail Avoidance Trial
Cathay Pacific and Google have expanded their joint effort to reduce the environmental impact of air travel through contrail avoidance. The trial uses artificial intelligence-powered forecasts, satellite imagery, and weather information to identify areas where persistent contrails are likely to form. Flight dispatchers and pilots can then make small altitude changes to avoid these zones.
The initial phase of the trial involved more than 80 Cathay flights across its network, with an estimated 40% reduction in warming impact from contrails. The Hong Kong-Singapore corridor was among those tested, accounting for over half of the trial's climate-impact reduction.
The expanded second phase will cover operating environments across Asia and trans-Pacific routes, testing the scalability of the approach. Google is working with Contrails.org to incorporate the results into wider research on contrail management.