On Earth Day 2016, last Friday, April 22, Hawaiian Airlines was the first to operate a demonstration flight between Auckland and Honolulu International Airports to showcase seven best practices in operational performance that reduce fuel burn and carbon emissions.

These seven environmental markers have been outlined by the Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (ASPIRE), a group of worldwide aviation leaders dedicated to advancing environmental stewardship in the industry that certified Hawaiian’s application for this ASPIRE Daily City Pair route.

To qualify as an ASPIRE-Daily route, aircraft must be equipped with advanced avionics, including satellite-based Required Navigation Performance avionics and the Future Air Navigation System. ASPIRE was organized in 2008 as a joint venture among Airservices Australia, Airways New Zealand, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

“As Hawaii’s flagship carrier, we remain committed to protecting our environment for future generations and reducing our carbon footprint every day and on every flight,” said Ken Rewick, Hawaiian’s vice president of flight operations. “We can do this by optimizing our existing technology and maximizing efficiency in all phases of flight.”

Hawaiian used advanced air traffic management procedures from gate to gate on the green flight and collaborated with air navigation service providers (ANSPs), including Airways New Zealand and the FAA, to demonstrate all seven of ASPIRE’s best practices.

“Airways New Zealand has delivered a number of airspace enhancements over the last eight years that contribute to the growth of sustainability in aviation,” said Tim Boyle, the agency’s head of Auckland operations. “It is assisting its customer airlines to reduce C02 emissions by more than 37,000 tons annually.”

By implementing these ASPIRE procedures on the AKL-HNL route alone, Hawaiian will use one percent less fuel, approximately 1,000 pounds, per flight, which equates to 230 metric tons fewer carbon emissions annually. According to equivalencies provided by the EPA, this is comparable to taking 48 cars off the road. In addition, Hawaiian’s fuel-efficient fleet of Airbus A330s are equipped with Trent 700 Rolls-Royce engines, netting 700 fewer tons of carbon emissions per aircraft per year.