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 approximately 70 percent. This achievement came from modifying only 59 flights out of more than 6,400 operated, with additional fuel consumption kept below 0.1 percent of the annual total for affected flights.
Adrien Chabot, Director of Sustainability at Amelia, stated that by targeting high-impact flights, the project removes the barrier of scientific uncertainty about the magnitude of the phenomenon and focuses on immediate action. The solution focuses on “big hits”—rare flights where atmospheric conditions favor persistent contrails with strong warming potential. The results were verified by scientific start-up Klima, with spot checks using ground-based cameras.
Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice President of Avionics at Thales, noted that this success is part of Thales’ strategy to harness technology to accelerate the transition toward more sustainable and responsible aviation. Amelia will continue deploying these solutions in 2026.
