Air traffic energy efficiency differs from place to place: new results from a macro-level approach

This article analyses energy efficiency coefficients and their evolution in the air transport sector. The proposed ’macro-level’ methodology allows obtaining energy efficiency coefficients and their growth rates (corresponding to the evolution of energy gains) from 1983 to 2006 for eight distinct geographical regions and at the world level. During the whole period, energy efficiency improvements have been equal to 2.88% per year at the world level, with strong differences between regions. Moreover, our results indicate that domestic air travels are less energy efficient (i.e. more carbon intensive) than international air travels. This result applies in all regions.