The Swiss helicopter company and flight school Swiss Helicopter AG is consistently implementing its sustainability strategy, and is now performing all passenger flights in a climate-neutral manner. In this way, the company can reduce around a quarter of its CO2 emissions. Material transport and training flights will also be offered as CO2-neutral from now on. This is made possible by the use of sustainable fuels and CO2 compensation with projects through Carbonfuture.
In view of the global climate challenge, the aviation industry in particular has a duty to reduce or offset its emissions. Swiss Helicopter AG accepts this responsibility and has therefore been pursuing a consistent sustainability strategy for some time. With its most recent decision, Swiss Helicopter AG has now become a pioneer in the Swiss aviation industry: since Jan. 1, 2023, it has been the first Swiss airline to carry out all passenger flights as CO2-neutral.
“It is very important to us that we can make a valuable contribution to climate protection together with our customers,” says Rolf Heuberger, CEO of Swiss Helicopter AG.
In this way, the company has reduced around a quarter of its CO2 emissions in one go.
In addition to private flights, Swiss Helicopter AG is now also offering a climate-neutral option for material transport flights and flights in performed by flight schools and in flight training.
In line with customer needs
With the consistent implementation of its sustainability strategy, Swiss Helicopter AG is also responding to growing customer needs, says Rolf Heuberger.
“There is a great demand for a sustainable solution for helicopter flights from both private guests and corporate customers,” he said.
The fact that the offer is well received has already been shown in the first few days of the changeover. This is also the case with Hans Egli, hut warden of the Zwinglipasshütte, Wildhaus.
“Despite the ‘Höttetragetä,’ in which the members of the SAC Toggenburg carry half of the material — around 8 – 10 tons — to the hut, we are dependent on the helicopter,” said Egli. “These transports are actually a contradiction to the ecological behavior that the SAC is committed to. For us, the CO2 neutrality of transport flights is an important step in the right direction.”
Swiss Helicopter is convinced that its role as a pioneer will pay off and that many other aviation companies will soon follow its example. Fabrizio Balsarini, pilot and base manager of Samedan, says: “The awareness of sustainable offers is constantly increasing, as is the desire for CO2-neutral flights. I am glad that we can now offer our customers a good solution.”
SAF’s hope for the future
Swiss Helicopter AG achieves the climate neutrality of its flights on the one hand by reducing the use of fossil fuels. This will be replaced by so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), which are made from biological raw materials or synthetically and are CO2-neutral. However, due to the high demand from aviation companies, the currently still low production volume and the associated high prices, SAFs are only available in limited quantities.
The current legal situation also allows a maximum of 50 percent SAFs to be added. In order to still be able to fly climate-neutrally, Swiss Helicopter AG is dependent on being able to compensate for the remaining emissions. This is achieved through cooperation with the German partner company Carbonfuture, which is active in the field of recovering CO2 from the air (carbon removal) using biochar. Through the charring of biomass such as wood waste, the CO2 is solidified and stored in the long term.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Swiss Helicopter
