Airline Amelia and Thales have announced the successful large-scale deployment of their contrail-avoidance solution, which optimizes flight plans by modifying aircraft altitude to prevent the formation of condensation trails (contrails). The initiative, launched in 2024 on flights between Paris and Valladolid, Spain, was deployed across all eligible Amelia flights in 2025.
According to climate-impact models, the project avoided more than 2,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions during 2025, reducing the average climate impact per flight by around 70%. This was achieved by modifying only 59 flights out of more than 6,400 operated, with additional fuel consumption kept below 0.1% of the annual total for affected flights.
“By targeting high-impact flights, we remove the barrier of scientific uncertainty about the magnitude of the phenomenon and focus on immediate action,” said Adrien Chabot, Director of Sustainability at Amelia.
The solution focuses on “big hits” – rare flights where atmospheric conditions favour persistent contrails with strong warming potential. The results were verified by scientific start-up Klima, with spot checks using ground-based cameras.
“This success is part of Thales’ strategy: harnessing technology to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable and responsible aviation,” said Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice President, Avionics at Thales. Amelia will continue deploying these solutions in 2026.
