Delta to Launch Innovation Lab to Accelerate the More Sustainable Future of Flight

The Delta Sustainable Skies Lab will bridge the gap between fledgling ideas and proven innovation by focusing on clean fuel, efficient flying operations, revolutionary fleet concepts and sustainable travel & business practices.

Delta Air Lines is launching a first-of-its-kind airline innovation lab to accelerate research, design and testing for a more sustainable future of air travel.

In order to achieve Delta's goal of net zero emissions by 2050, the Delta Sustainable Skies Lab will scale existing technologies and initiatives, showcase current work throughout Delta, and stimulate disruptive industry innovation.

The Lab will lead the industry, according to Pam Fletcher, Chief Sustainability Officer of Delta, by going above and beyond financial investments to contribute Delta people and expertise to ensure Delta is the airline of choice for innovators looking to test and market their ideas.

The goal of the Delta Sustainable Skies Lab, according to Fletcher, "is to combine the operational expertise of our teams with innovators to inspire new ideas and spur industry advancement. It's a place to showcase advancements and a movement to galvanise everyone with a stake in establishing a more sustainable future of flight."

Two pillars serve as the foundation for Delta's 2050 sustainability journey:

Reduce the environmental effect of Delta's air travel by streamlining air operations and collaborating to hasten the development of innovative aircraft and clean fuel.

Integrate sustainability into every action Delta takes as part of our continual effort to offer more environmentally friendly travel and corporate operations.

The Lab will support these pillars in a variety of ways, including:

Internal innovation culture: The Lab will bring Delta employees from Flight Operations, Technical Operations, Inflight Services, Operations & Customer Center, and Fleet together, in alignment, and to exhibit sustainability-driven work. Everything is being addressed, from how Delta is getting rid of single-use plastics onboard to electrifying its ground equipment. The example is Delta's Carbon Council, which is already promoting operational enhancements and cost savings that are in line with Delta's SBTi targets and will save the company more than 10 million gallons of fuel in 2022 alone.

Innovative collaborations: "None of us can do this alone. Aviation is a difficult sector to decarbonize. We're putting out the welcome mat for innovators of choice to utilise Delta's global resources and hasten the process of decarbonization and a totally sustainable travel experience, said Fletcher. The Lab will draw the subsequent generation of "doers" who transform how airlines view decarbonization. Research partnerships like the one Delta has with MIT will join previously disclosed sustainability partners like Airbus and Joby Aviation.

Experiences with the Engagement & Ideation Studio: The global airline's increasing sustainability initiatives will be centralized in a building at its Atlanta headquarters. Everyone will be exposed to Delta's vision for and work to advance the more sustainable future of flight, from students and employees to sustainability thought leaders and the greatest inventors in history. The idea will come to life through interactive digital walls, virtual reality stations, immersive mock-ups, and more. The area will encourage stakeholders to interact, work together, brainstorm, and share ideas in order to create momentum inside the sector and beyond. While work is still being done to build The Lab relationships and test new technology to boost Delta's sustainability initiatives, the Engagement Studio will launch and run in phases.

Delta will keep using its own operations to test ideas for lessening its impact on the environment. To progress the sector, this work will be featured in the Engagement Studio. The innovative technology from Aero Design Labs to reduce aeroplane drag and emissions is one such test scheduled for 2023.

Together with the council for The Lab, which is made up of top executives from Technical Operations, Flight Operations, Fleet, Fuel, Operations & Customer Center, Inflight Service, and Airport Customer Service, Fletcher is in charge of developing the Delta Sustainable Skies Lab's strategy. Similar to how Delta approaches safety, The Lab's mission is centred on sharing best practises and being open about its sustainability strategy.

Fletcher continued, "This work is essential for both our business and the environment. "Travel is the greatest enabler of human connection, which we have seen to be essential for survival. In order for our customers to feel as good about flying as they do about the connections they make with the people and places we take them to, we want to ensure that we are making progress toward our sustainability goals.

The Delta Sustainable Skies Lab is one way Delta spurs technological advances, draws new finance to the sector for scaling ideas, and creates the regulations our industry needs to hasten the transition to a more sustainable aviation future.