The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Gol and Tap Air Portugal have become the first carriers to use IATA FuelIS, an advanced analytics solution designed to help airlines optimize fuel consumption. IATA's net zero carbon emissions roadmap highlights that technological and operational efficiency improvements, which directly reduce fuel consumption, are expected to contribute to about 10% of emissions reductions by 2050 (excluding hydrogen or electric technology).

"Fuel management is critical for airlines. Depending on prevailing jet fuel prices, it typically accounts for 25-30% of the cost base. Moreover, with airline decarbonization, monitoring and managing carbon costs, which are directly linked to fuel consumption, will become an increasing priority. Understanding an airline’s performance relative to industry peers using FuelIS can identify potential efficiencies that reduce costs and improve environmental performance. The outstanding support of 220 airlines providing operational fuel consumption data, coupled with continuous enhancements in analytical capabilities, makes FuelIS an extremely compelling tool", stated Nick Careen, Senior Vice President Operations, Safety and Security at IATA.

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. The solution leverages data from the Iata Global Aviation Data Management (GADM) platform. This data originates from the Flight Data eXchange (FDX) program, which currently encompasses fuel data from over 220 airlines worldwide, covering more than 8 million flights annually.

FuelIS integrates seamlessly with IATA’s Fuel Efficiency Gap Analysis (FEGA); FuelIS data supports the development and monitoring of fuel strategies. Since 2005, the Association has collaborated with airlines globally, helping the sector identify potential annual fuel consumption reductions of 4.76 million tonnes — equivalent to $3.8 billion in annual savings.

"Fuel is a significant cost factor for Tap Air Portugal. Managing consumption is a key priority due to its economic implications and contribution to decarbonization. Every kilogram of fuel saved counts. The insights provided by FuelIS help us measure the impact of our fleet modernization and our long-term transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). They also support a more responsive fuel strategy amid market and operational changes", said Luís Rodrigues, CEO of TAP Air Portugal, sharing the same view as Albert Pérez, COO of GOL.

This statement was issued today by IATA during its 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in New Delhi, India, which will conclude today (see AVIONEWS). During the three-day event, it was also announced that Luis Gallego, CEO of International Airlines Group (IAG), has taken on the role of Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors. His one-year term began yesterday during the assembly in Delhi (see AVIONEWS). Regarding the proceedings of the AGM, also see AVIONEWS 1 and 2.