Moving towards a more sustainable future, British budget carrier easyJet has vowed to develop new electric planes for use on short-haul routes by 2030.

The carrier has partnered with US-based manufacturer Wright Electric to build an electric engine that can power a nine-seater aircraft.

Wright Electric partner Axter Aerospace already has a two-seater aircraft flying, and the larger aircraft is expected to start flying in 2019.

Aircraft designer Darold Cummings will design the easyJet-sized electric aircraft. Furthermore, the introduction of electric planes would help major airlines help combat the rising price of jet fuel whilst cutting emissions, noise and travel costs.

Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, said: “We know it is important to our customers that we operate sustainably and with the introduction of A320neos, we can already provide a 15 per cent reduction in carbon emissions and 50 per cent less noise footprint, putting us amongst the best-ranking airlines in Europe.

“Looking forward, the technological advancements in electric flying are truly exciting and it is moving fast. From the two-seater aircraft, which is already flying, to the nine-seater which will fly next year, electric flying is becoming a reality and we can now foresee a future that is not exclusively dependent on jet fuel.”

London - Amsterdam is Europe’s second busiest route with a strong demand for day return trips, potentially making it an ideal route for all-electric plane flying.

Jeffrey Engler, CEO of Wright Electric, added: “We are excited about what the next year holds. EasyJet has been a fantastic partner, and we look forward to helping introduce low-emissions low-noise aviation to Europe.”

EasyJet has carried 22 million passengers since its very first flight from Amsterdam to London in 1996, now flying up to 22 flights a day, which account for 34 per cent of the total airline’s capacity out of Amsterdam and a very popular service for day return trips.

With an average of 1.8 million passengers a year and a record high load factor of 93 per cent on the route, the airline takes responsibility for reducing its environmental impact and will continue to encourage airports to promote initiatives to attract the quietest and cleanest aircraft. - TradeArabia News Service