The Innsbruck Airport Neighborhood Protection Association criticizes the fact that no investigation has been carried out into the burning of kerosene during take-offs and landings at the airport in the Tyrolean capital. Reference is also made to the special geographical location.

In recent years, companies in a wide variety of industries have been trying to create a particularly “green image”. Some players in aviation are also trying to present themselves as particularly “environmentally friendly” or “climate-friendly”. The advertising campaigns often end up in court. For example, it was determined by the court that Austrian Airlines was in connection with a Venice flight advertised misleadingly.

SAF also causes emissions

It is well known that the combustion of kerosene - regardless of whether it is the conventional product or SAF - produces not only carbon dioxide but also numerous other - sometimes toxic - exhaust gases. However, this is often downplayed in the industry. They behave in much the same way as shipping companies, because alternative drives are highlighted, but the fact that, for cost reasons, marine diesel and/or environmentally harmful heavy oil is often used in the vast majority of cases, is not necessarily a topic that people like to talk about becomes.

Things are hardly different in rail transport, as this mode of transport is particularly environmentally friendly because train journeys supposedly do not emit any carbon dioxide. This may be true for local electric trains, but in many countries the traction power required is generated from coal-fired power. If this were included in the claims, the climate impact of rail would be just as devastating as that of shipping or aviation. This does not even take into account the fact that the vast majority of railway lines worldwide are not electrified, but run on diesel traction. By the way, an example of not particularly clever “greenwashing advertising” can be found at Traiskirchen train station (Aspangbahn). As is well known, the Aspangbahn is not electrified and mostly outdated Jenbacher diesel multiple units are used in this area. A huge poster at the train station in question advertises an ÖBB that would run on 100 percent “green electricity”. In any case, in Traiskirchen the trains require diesel and no “green electricity” due to the lack of overhead lines.

Burning kerosene for arrivals and departures is criticized

But back to Innsbruck: The local residents' protection association claims in a press release that in February 2023, around 495 tons of kerosene were burned for arrival and departure flights in scheduled and charter traffic on aircraft from the manufacturers Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. This is explained as follows: “The emissions of the aircraft are shown in the so-called LTO cycle (landing and take off): approach, landing, take-off and climb up to a height of 900 m each are measured: this corresponds to the area above the city and the surrounding communities, as the airport is located in the narrow Inn Valley right on the outskirts of the city. A single Boeing 738 burns 881 kg of kerosene on arrival and departure.

Thomas Pachl from the Innsbruck Airport Neighborhood Protection Association says: “It is incomprehensible why the harmful health effects of kerosene burning around Innsbruck Airport have not yet been investigated. Due to the special location directly on the outskirts of the city in the narrow basin of the Inn Valley, such quantities of kerosene combustion are certainly more effective. The state of Tyrol and the city of Innsbruck are the owners of the airport. Politicians should give serious thought to curbing this burden on the population by capping flight movements.” It also adds that the requirement applies “all the more as the flight movements/passenger numbers have risen again to 2023 percent of the pre-Corona peak in 80 and are likely to rise even further in 2024”.