Victor and Air BP launch carbon offset programme for private jet charters

Victor and Air BP

Leading private jet charter marketplace Victor, in collaboration with Air BP and BP Target Neutral, has officially opened its carbon offset programme to operators and customers following a trial phase which began late last year. The programme aims to put the company, and participating aircraft operators, ahead of the curve in terms of meeting important industry deadlines around reduced environmental impact.

Over half of Victor and Air BP’s 20 biggest operator customers have already signed up to the initiative, which is successfully transitioning to a fully-fledged industry programme seeking further expansion throughout 2018. The volume of charter booked through Victor’s platform by operators signed up to the carbon offset programme has grown an additional 46% this year (year-on-year) versus standard operator bookings. Over three quarters of Victor’s customers (78%) opted into the scheme have received quotes for flights where carbon emissions for the fuel used will be offset. Among the early adopters to endorse the initiative is Austria’s GlobeAir, the world’s largest Cessna Citation Mustang operator.

According to CORSIA, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s global scheme for carbon offsetting and reduction, aircraft operators will need to purchase offsets for their growth in CO2 emissions above 2020 levels. That scheme launches with a voluntary period, 2021-2026, after which it becomes mandatory. Various industry bodies within business and general aviation have acknowledged specific ICAO targets to try and achieve carbon neutral growth by 2020, make 2% improvements in fuel efficiency (on average per year) between now and 2020, and ensure a 50% cut in total emissions by 2050, relative to 2015. By launching their carbon offset programme now, Victor and Air BP will ensure that a significant number of industry stakeholders are well positioned, and supported, to proactively help meet these crucial environmental targets. In turn, Victor’s ambition is to use carbon neutral fuel for 100% of flights by 2020.

Having carbon emissions offset is conditional on participating operators using Air BP fuel for Victor bookings, wherever feasible. Eligible flights are transparently flagged on Victor’s digital marketplace and flyers will have a record of carbon credits added to a digital flight log that customers can access on a quarterly basis. These credits – at no extra cost to Victor customers – guarantee that carbon emissions for the fuel used on eligible flights are offset through investment in eight global BP Target Neutral carbon reduction projects around the world.