A major initiative for the sustainability of aviation is taking shape, as the Air France-KLM group becomes the first airline to commit to starting preparations for the European Union Flight Emissions Label (FEL), following the signing of an agreement with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
The agreement marks a milestone in the establishment of the FEL, a system introduced in December 2024 with the aim of providing passengers with accurate, comparable, and reliable data on the emissions of each flight.
The agreement, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding, enables Air France – KLM to pilot the FEL system and gain access to reliable emissions data from EASA, prior to the formal inclusion in the FEL regime, as provided for in Regulation (EU) 2024/3170.
The FEL is based on a harmonised methodology that takes into account factors such as aircraft type, number of passengers, load per flight and type of fuel used. This enables passengers to make informed decisions when booking flights and reduces the phenomenon of misleading “green marketing”.
Support and expertise from EASA
EASA will provide technical support to the Air France–KLM group during the preparation phase, guiding the integration process through emissions analysis, the required digital tools, such as the EASA Sustainability Portal, as well as the relevant data submission procedures.
Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said: “I warmly welcome the decision of Air France and KLM to become the first airlines to join the EU Flight Emissions Label. This decisive step translates their commitment to zero carbon emissions into concrete action, strengthening fair competition, transparency, and trust.
It also marks a key milestone in the implementation of the EU Flight Emissions Label and ReFuelEU Aviation, while contributing to accelerating the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels to reduce emissions in flights.
I encourage other airlines to join this initiative, driving a more sustainable and transparent future for European aviation.”
Voluntary but essential participation
Participation in the FEL is voluntary, but is a necessary condition for airlines wishing to make flight emissions public to passengers within the EU, as required by Article 6(5) of the relevant regulation.
The FEL is addressed to both European and non-European airlines falling within the scope of the ReFuelEU Aviation legislation, with the aim of enhancing the use of sustainable aviation fuels.
