Environmental commitment

Promote efficiency and protect the Environment.

We at TAP are always working to become more efficient, offering our passengers a top-quality service and ensuring high-safety standards.

Promoting the company's sustainable growth is one of TAP's top commitments. The challenges facing an airline such as TAP go well beyond air transport activities, and include the facilities where the company operates and assures the maintenance of aircraft, engines, and many components. Aware of the environmental impact of air transport activities, TAP defined an operating strategy based on four environmental pillars:

Efficient energy use and CO₂ emissions	Waste
Reducing the use of disposable plastic	Noise

The aviation industry, and TAP in particular, is facing major challenges due to current world events. Outlining a consolidated strategy that will allow the economic recovery of the company, the tourism industry and the country in general - while observing high-quality standards - will only be possible if we commit to minimizing the environmental impact of our operations.

Efficient energy use and CO₂ emissions

The entry into operation of more efficient aircraft models, as part of the TAP fleet modernization program, has allowed for significant improvements in terms of efficient energy use and environmental protection. These new aircraft feature more efficient combustion engines, making it possible to reduce up to 20% in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Improving efficient energy use and choosing Portuguese suppliers were the main criteria in the process of redesigning the cabin interiors of existing active aircraft. This project has made possible to increase the capacity of these airplanes by 12 seats, while reducing their weight by 800 kg.

At TAP, an operation's efficient energy use is measured by its 100-kilometer fuel consumption per passenger.

Between 2015 and 2019 we have consistently improved this indicator, reflecting an increasingly optimized operation – a 13.9% improvement in terms of efficient energy use and CO₂ emissions per passenger for each 100 km flown. In 2020 the aviation industry faced its biggest challenge in recent decades – the COVID-19 pandemic, which dramatically curtailed the industry's operations, forcing TAP to suspend some of its projects and to adjust environmental targets.

Efficient energy use

Fuel consumption per passenger per 100 km flown.

Carbon dioxide emissions

CO₂ emissions per passenger per 100 km flown.

Voluntary CO₂ emissions offset program

Launched by TAP over a decade ago, the carbon dioxide emissions offset program is a voluntary emission neutralization mechanism which is available to passengers on the company's booking site.

Created in partnership with IATA (International Air Transport Association), this program uses a CO₂ emissions calculation method based on the recommendations of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). This calculation takes into account various parameters, such as the route, the distance covered, the booked class, and the average CO₂ emissions of all aircraft operating in that route.

When selecting the offset option, TAP passengers are neutralizing their carbon dioxide emissions in other regions of the world through UN-certified projects.

This program is audited on an annual basis by an independent organization, thus securing the transparency and reliability of the method used for determining CO₂ emissions. For more information about the audit, click here.

If you have any questions about the program, please check the IATA FAQ section.

Waste

In 2020 TAP rolled out the RECICLA+ project to increase the amount of waste sent for recycling (paper/cardboard and plastic/metal), thus reducing the volume of unsorted waste. This project, will focus on three major types of waste: ordinary waste produced on the Campus, waste produced in the maintenance and engineering activity carried out on the Campus, and waste produced on board aircraft.

Disposable Plastic Reduction Program

TAP is focused on reducing the amount of single-use plastic on its aircraft and committed to finding reusable and more sustainable options on the market, so as to replace this material while maintaining high-safety standards throughout the company and following market trends in terms of materials.

As an example, TAP has already introduced wooden coffee stirrers to replace disposable plastic ones. On long-haul routes, plastic wrappers for headphones and comfort kits have been removed. Various materials used on our flights are already reusable, so they are collected by our service providers in Portugal.

Given the cross-cutting nature of this program, we have also made some changes at our headquarters, our TAP Campus, by replacing some disposable plastic items with more ecologically-friendly solutions. As an example, we no longer use plastic cups in bars and are now using reusable items for all desserts, salads and meals at the company's cafeteria.

Noise

The TAP fleet is increasingly quiet, complying with the noise limits established by the ICAO (Annex 16, volume 1). From an operational point of view, TAP has also adopted several measures to minimize noise levels. While landing, for instance, pilots avoid using the engine to brake the aircraft (reverse thrust), using wheel brakes instead.

Since 2015, TAP has prohibited the shipment of animal trophies, laboratory animals, shark fins and any part of animals that appear on the list of "Endangered Animals", as freight. In 2017, TAP became signatory of the Buckingham Palace Declaration which aims to reduce the illegal trade of wildlife, following 2016 IATA’s AGM Resolution unanimously endorsed, denouncing the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products, and pledging to partner with government authorities and conservation organizations in the fight against the trafficking of protected species.