Europe's leading low-cost carriers have engaged in some healthy competition over the past couple of years, trying to outdo each other in sustainability-related achievements. Just recently, Ryanair partnered with Amadeus to help business travelers lower their carbon footprint, while Wizz was named sustainable airline of the year by CAPA. Not to mention the comprehensive net-zero strategy developed by easyJet. The latest developments come courtesy of Wizz and Ryanair, who both made new sustainability-related announcements on Wednesday.

Ryanair to invest in environmental and social projects with Citi

Ryanair has partnered with Citi to become the first European airline to deposit funds in its new Sustainable Deposit Solution, which launched earlier this year. This means that Ryanair can now invest excess cash to support different sustainable financing projects across Citi’s portfolio. These include a range of areas such as water conservation, renewable energy, as well as healthcare and education in emerging markets. Citi has committed to financing and facilitating $1 trillion in sustainable finance by 2030.

The LCC's Director of Sustainability, Thomas Fowler, commented on the new partnership,

“Ryanair is proud to be leading sustainable aviation in Europe, which is further evidenced by our partnership with Citi to deposit funds in their new Sustainable Deposit Solution. This will not only help us manage our finances more sustainably but will further drive our sustainability agenda in whole as we support several sustainability projects across Citi’s portfolio, from water conservation to affordable housing and beyond.”

Airbus A320neo Wizz Air
Photo: Airbus

Wizz attends first General Assembly of Zero Emission Alliance

Meanwhile, Hungary's Wizz Air has joined the European Commission's Alliance For Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA) and attended the first General Assembly of the Alliance hosted by EUROCONTROL on Monday, November 14. The first members of the AZEA were announced at the end of September this year, and the list includes OEMs such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce, but also airlines such as easyJet, startups including eVTOL maker Lilium, and hydrogen-electric powertrain developer ZeroAvia. Airports are represented by, among others, Torino Airport, the Dublin Airport Authority, and Swedavia.

The purpose of the alliance, in case the name did not give it away, is to further the progress of zero-emission flight and prepare the aviation infrastructure for electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft in Europe. Wizz will specifically share information with other members on the expected challenges and solutions for zero-emission aircraft operations from an ultra-low-cost carrier perspective.

Ryanair Wizz Air & easyJet Aicraft
Photo: Getty Images

Johan Eidhagen, Chief People and ESG Officer of Wizz Air, said,

We are pleased to have joined AZEA, and look forward to working with its members to collaborate on the ongoing research and development required for hydrogen aircraft operations. It is imperative that all stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem – from airlines and airports to regulators and fuel providers – coordinate to ensure the infrastructure is ready for the deployment of this technology on a large scale. At Wizz Air, we remain ambitious in our sustainability strategy and are committed to invest in cutting-edge technology, paving the way to more sustainable air travel. We are and will continue to be the greenest choice of flying.”

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  • Wizz Air Getty Gdansk
    Wizz Air
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    W6/WZZ
    Airline Type:
    Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier
    Year Founded:
    2003
    CEO:
    József Váradi
    Country:
    Hungary
  • Ryanair Boeing 737
    Ryanair
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    FR/RYR
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Dublin Airport, London Stansted Airport, Milan Bergamo Airport
    Year Founded:
    1985
    Airline Group:
    Ryanair Group
    CEO:
    Eddie Wilson
    Country:
    Ireland