2021/08/04
ANA is focusing on reducing the weight of airplanes with the aim of achieving zero CO2 emissions. We would like to introduce one of these efforts, "Reducing the weight of in-flight service carts."
Reducing CO2 emissions by reducing the weight of airplanes
Cutting the weight of an airplane can diminish the fuel required for a flight, leading to a reduction in CO2 emissions. Recently, airplanes and seats have been manufactured using lighter materials, which has significantly reduced the weight of the aircraft and the CO2 emissions associated with it, but there are other ways to make it even lighter. What can you think of?
The cabin is equipped with various items for use in airplane operations and services, but the ANA Group has taken the following measures to reduce the weight of airplanes with the idea that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." We are trying to make it lighter and reduce CO2 emissions.
Examples of Our Initiatives
- Digitization of in-flight magazines, newspapers and magazines
- Optimization of the amount of goods and drinking water to be loaded on board
- Digitization of manuals used by flight crew and Cabin Attendants
- Weight reduction of carts used by Cabin Attendants for in-flight services
Weight reduction of in-flight service carts
Among the various efforts to reduce the weight of the aircraft, the one that has produced the greatest effect is the weight reduction of the in-flight service cart used by Cabin Attendants. From 2015, the ANA Group gradually introduced new lightweight carts from international flights by changing materials and reducing the number of parts, and by May 2022, all replacements including domestic flights are scheduled to be completed.
This new lightweight cart is equipped with about 70 carts per Boeing 777-300ER aircraft used on international flights, and the ANA Group has a total of about 17,000 carts.
The effect on CO2 emissions by reducing the weight of the cart
The new lightweight cart has achieved a weight reduction of up to 10 kg compared to the conventional cart, and has a weight reduction effect of approximately 580 kg per Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. If we calculate the effect by the number of ANA's entire airplane, fuel consumption is reduced by approximately 5,700 tons annually, which contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions equivalent to about 17,500 of 25m swimming pools.
NEW TYPE
OLD TYPE
Interview with the person in charge
Mr. Nishimura from Products & Services Planning Department
What did you struggle with when introducing a lightweight service cart?
It was not just a matter of simply reducing the weight, but it was important to introduce a cart that is easy for Cabin Attendants to handle in order to provide services that satisfy our customers. As for a trial, we ordered the latest lightweight cart from the manufacturer, asked the Cabin Attendants to actually operate it, and listened to their impressions. Before introducing it, we made many improvements in terms of safety and operability, such as a door lock with good visibility and a handle shape that is easy to operate. In particular, the weight difference between the conventional and new carts is so large, that the position of the center of gravity is different, so we shared the information with the cabin crew in advance and led to a smooth introduction. Another difficulty we had was when installing the carts on to the aircraft, it was difficult to coordinate with related departments because a large number of carts had to be replaced on schedule.
What did you devise when introducing the lightweight cart?
It was not possible to replace a large number of carts owned by the ANA Group with lightweight carts all at once. The effect of diminishing CO2 emissions by reducing the weight of carts was greatest on long distance flights that carries many carts and flies for a long time. For this reason, the ANA Group has maximized the effect of reducing CO2 emissions by giving priority to the carts loaded on airplanes used on long-haul international flights and replacing them with lightweight carts first.
Thoughts for the future
The weight of each on-board item managed by the Products & Services Planning Department is insignificant, but the accumulation of these items greatly affects CO2 emissions.
We will continue to strive to develop eco-friendly products and propose new services that reduce the burden on the environment.
