Cathay Pacific and Google partner on AI contrail avoidance for ultra-long-haul flights

Cathay Pacific has completed over 80 ultra-long-haul flights using Google’s AI system to adjust cruise altitude and avoid persistent contrail-forming humid layers, achieving roughly a 40% reduction in contrail-related warming, chiefly on the Hong Kong-Singapore corridor. The approach adds about 2% extra fuel burn, yet Google estimates the avoided warming is twenty times greater, costing $5-$25 per tonne CO2-eq, and aligns with EU mandates to monitor non-CO2 aviation impacts.