The number of passenger flights departing from European airports has hit the highest level in nearly seven months as vaccine rollouts begin to be felt across the continent. Data shows that a seven-day average of 8,573 departing flights took place in the continent on 24 May, the largest amount since 8,618 took place on 1 November 2020. The figure remains less than a third of the 25,719 flights that departed on 24 May 2019, however. By capacity, the data presents a similar story. On 24 May, 1.35 million seats were operated on departing flights across the continent, measured on a seven-day average, the highest since 31 October. On the same date in May 2019 an average of nearly 4.1 million departing flights took place in the continent. However, the data also highlights that the majority of these gains are taking place on domestic services, with passengers on such routes facing fewer travel restrictions. The number of departing seats on international European flights rose from a seven-day average of 587,142 on 10 May to 681,546 two weeks later, a rise of 16%. In the same period, the number of domestic departing seats rose from 560,561 to 670,026, an increase of nearly 20%. Nearly 207 million doses of Covid-19 vaccinations had been administered by EU states by 19 May, according to Our World In Data, or 46.1 per 100 EU citizens. The EU's green pass digital certificate was provisionally approved by EU member states and the European parliament on 20 May, with final approval expected in June for a full rollout by the start of July. It is hoped the project will enable those that have been vaccinated, tested negative for Covid-19 or who can show they have recovered from the virus to travel again, enabling a widescale reopening of Europe's aviation markets.

Singapore Airlines Group has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Mainline carrier SIA, Scoot, and SIA Cargo will invest in new-generation aircraft, achieve higher operational efficiency, adopt low-carbon technology such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), as well as source for high-quality carbon offsets, the group says. "Today, the most effective and direct way for an airline to materially lower carbon emissions is by operating a young fleet of aircraft," chief executive Goh Choon Phong states. SIA Group's fleet is among the youngest globally averaging under six years old, Goh says. The company retired 45 older aircraft in 2020. These will be gradually replaced with new-generation aircraft that are up to 30% more fuel-efficient and will substantially lower emissions in coming years. According to SIA, its fleet has an average age of five years 10 months, while its orderbook includes new-generation models such as Airbus A350-900 and A320neo-family aircraft, as well as Boeing 777-9, 787 family and 737 Max 8. Additionally, the group has looked into improving operational procedures for better fuel efficiency and has, for example, invested in engineering improvement packages for engines and airframes that help to reduce drag and improve engine efficiency. SIA says: "The group's airlines continuously aim to improve fuel productivity through initiatives such as reducing fuel usage through aircraft weight management, and optimisation of flight routes." The group is also looking to partner research institutions with the hope of sparking innovations in technology and data analytics, to pave the way for more significant improvements. SAF is yet another approach and since 2011, SIA has been actively involved with Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG). In 2017, SIA launched a series of green package flights from San Francisco to Singapore that incorporated SAF, fuel-efficient aircraft and optimised air traffic management measures. In 2020, it worked with Stockholm's Swedavia airport to uplift SAF on flights departing from the city. The company states: "These activities have helped to improve the group’s understanding of the logistics and procurement of renewable fuels. SIA is actively working with partners and stakeholders to explore opportunities to scale up the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels across our network." Besides reducing direct emissions, SIA believes that carbon offsetting can play an important and complementary role and participates in the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). "While offsetting is particularly important in the mid-term, it is also expected to remain relevant in the long run to mitigate residual emissions. In order to secure high quality carbon offsets, the group will continue exploring pathways through partnership that will allow us to source high quality carbon offsets." Chief executive Goh states: "We have remained focused on our sustainability goals even as we navigated the Covid-19 pandemic. We know that this is also an increasingly important issue to both our customers and staff." He adds that SIA Group will continue to collaborate with governments, the airline industry, and partners such as aircraft manufacturers, technology providers, and fuel suppliers, both in Singapore and around the world.

The number of departing passenger flights from UK airports has begun to move higher as some travel restrictions for arrivals to the country have been dialled back, but services to all destinations, including approved green list countries, remain low. Data shows that the number of daily departing UK passenger flights rose to a seven-day average of 450 on 23 May, representing a slow but steady increase from a first-half 2021 low at around the start of February, when only around 200 daily departures took place. A week ago on 17 May, a seven-day average of 364 UK departures took place, highlighting that although flight numbers are increasing, the expansion remains weak and from a very low base. For comparison, on 23 May 2019, 3,098 passenger flights departed from the UK. Data shows that although flight numbers are rising to green list countries, where UK travel restrictions have been lowered, the numbers remain small. A seven-day average of just 18 passenger flights departed for Portugal on 23 May, for example, although for much of the year so far, only one service per day was operated from the UK to Portugal. On 23 May 2019, 102 passenger departure flights left the UK for the country. Of the handful of green list countries from which the British government has removed quarantine restrictions, Portugal has the largest number of direct connections with the UK. Data also shows which operators are most active in the UK currently. The largest operator by flight numbers since last November has consistently been British Airways, operating a seven-day average of 93 flights on 23 May, its highest number since late December. Loganair is currently the second largest airline by departing passenger flights, the data shows, at a seven-day average of 70 services on 23 May, its highest since late October. They are followed by EasyJet and Ryanair, which operated a seven-day average of 68 and 20 flights, respectively, on 20 May.