Representative ImageThe International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that GOL and TAP Air Portugal have become the first airlines to use IATA FuelIS—an advanced analytics solution designed to help airlines optimize fuel consumption.
IATA’s net-zero carbon emissions roadmap highlights that technology and operational efficiency improvements—which directly lower fuel consumption—are expected to contribute to about 10% of the emissions reduction in 2050*.
”Fuel management is key for airlines. Depending on the prevailing price of jet fuel, it generally accounts for 25-30% of the cost base. On top of that, as airlines decarbonize, tracking and managing carbon costs—which are directly related to fuel consumption—will be a growing priority. Understanding how an airline is performing compared with industry peers using FuelIS can pinpoint potential efficiencies that reduce costs and improve environmental performance. The great support from 220 airlines contributing operational data on fuel consumption combined with continuously improving analytical capabilities makes FuelIS a very compelling tool,” said Nick Careen, IATA Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security.
Data Accuracy and Reliability
IATA FuelIS helps airlines benchmark the fuel efficiency of their aircraft or engines against industry averages, gaining valuable insights into specific markets, regions, countries, and fleet types based on real operational data. IATA FuelIS uses data from the IATA Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) platform. This data is sourced from the Flight Data eXchange (FDX) program which now comprises fuel data from more than 220 airlines worldwide, covering more than 8 million flights a year.
FuelIS integrates seamlessly with IATA’s Fuel Efficiency Gap Analysis (FEGA), with the data from FuelIS supporting the development and tracking of fuel strategies. Since 2005, IATA has partnered with airlines worldwide, helping the industry identify potential annual reductions of 4.76 million tonnes in fuel consumption, equating to $3.8 billion in savings annually.
“Fuel is a major cost driver for TAP Air Portugal. Managing consumption is an important priority for its cost implications and its contribution to decarbonization. Every kilogram of fuel saved counts. The insights FuelIS provides help us measure the impact of our fleet modernization and our long-term transition to SAF. It also supports a fuel strategy that is more responsive to market and operational changes,” said TAP Air Portugal CEO Luís Rodrigues.
“Fuel is a significant cost factor for all companies and managing how we use it is always important and can be a significant competitive advantage. With FuelIS, we are equipped with data that helps us make better fuel decisions while benchmarking our progress against the industry. Joining FuelIS is yet another important step in our commitment to continuously improve our operations, ensuring high-level performance and focusing on cost reduction,” said GOL COO, Albert Pérez.
