China Airlines today joined the Executive Yuan and National Central University to co-sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Europe on the Pacific Greenhouse Gases Measurement Project (PGGMP).
Taipei, Taiwan – The memorandum was signed with Europe’s IAGOS group (In-service Aircraft with a Global Observing System), and the signing ceremony was taken place in Brussels, Belgium on February 18. As the first Asian airline to become an IAGOS member, China Airlines was greatly honored to cooperate with official and academic authorities in Taiwan and Europe.
Taiwan’s National Central University is the PGGMP project leader, with cooperation from the Environmental Protection Administration, IAGOS and China Airlines. The project will equip two China Airlines A340-300 aircraft with a special instrument in 2009, for the purpose of measuring and recording the atmosphere during flights. The recorded data will provide
useful information for global environmental protection research.
On the issue of environmental protection, China Airlines strives to ensure that every procedure is compliant with the regulations. Moreover, CAL proactively practices resource sustainability as well as environmental protection. For example, CAL is working to reduce unnecessary payload, plan efficient flight routes, and increase engine performance to decrease air
pollution as much as possible.
With regard to ground services, CAL endeavors to reduce consumption of electric power, water, and paper, and it precisely controls its maintenance wastes, including wastewater discharge and air emissions. In addition, CAL set up an Environmental Affair Working Group (EAWG) in May 2007. The main function of the team is to manage corporate environmental affairs and
improve corporate co-efficiency.
China Airlines A340-300 aircraft is configured into two classes with 276 seats (30 in Dynasty Class and 246 in Economy Class). The A340-300 fleet is used primarily on the Frankfurt, Rome, Seattle, Honolulu and partial Hong Kong, Manila routes.