Defender of the Skies

Air New Zealand is aiming to be the cleanest airline on the planet, recently making headlines with fuel-saving and environmentally conscious initiatives including demonstrating a new way of flying an airplane and testing the use of jatropha as a source of jet fuel. The innovative moves, which are being closely watched by the aviation industry, have put the airline at the forefront of finding new ways of cutting back on fuel use and harmful carbon emissions. At home last year, the airline hired the former executive director of New Zealand’s branch of Greenpeace International, to coordinate the company’s various in-house efforts to reduce energy use by 5 per cent every year. They include company bicycles that employees can use to commute to work or to do errands during lunch breaks. “We grew up thinking [New Zealand] is one of the greatest places on Earth, and we want do our part to preserve it,” said Mike Tod, the airline’s spokesman. The airline is also a favourite of Hollywood celebrities who travel from LAX to London – a little-known route Air New Zealand has tried to keep quiet as a way to shield its high-profile passengers from prying photographers and fanatic fans.