2023-04-27 10:26:13
Par Nicholas Zaugra
Published on
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New destinations, project to deploy solar panels, “carbon neutrality”, preparation for the planes of the future, attendance report: Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport, one of the largest in France, unveiled its ambitions this Wednesday April 26, 2023.
Tanguy Bertolus, chairman of the management board of Lyon Aéroport operated by the giant Vinci Airports took stock.
New destinations for summer 2023
Lyon airport, which welcomed 8.5 million passengers in 2022, is opening seven new destinations for this summer and fall 2023.
Doha (4 times a week from July 3) by Qatar Airways, Florence (twice a week from April 8) by Transavia, Air France subsidiary, Bilbao (twice a week from September 7) by Volotea, Berlin ( twice a week from October 12) and Hamburg (twice a week from October 10) by Volotea, Antalya (once a week from April 10) and Tlemcen (once a week from July 5) by Transavia .
Tanguy Bertolus also affirms that discussions are still underway with companies to expand the offer of long-haul flights, in particular to the Chine or even the UNITED STATES. But he did not advance on specific dates or cities.
Reinforced lines
Seven existing lines will also be operated by other companies with flights to La Rochelle (easyJet), Lille (Twin Jet) or Madrid (Volotea).
Weekly lines will be reinforced in the direction of Lisbon, Montreal and Setif.
Emirates has resumed flights to Dubai every day and Air Transat is installing a daily service to Montreal starting this summer, a service it will continue next summer.
A giant power plant of photovoltaic panels
Lyon airport has also announced its intention to become “carbon neutral” by 2026, that is to say no longer emit carbon for its direct activity. But the polluting activity remains the planes themselves.
“It is not our direct responsibility, but that of the companies and manufacturers. However, we have initiated projects to reduce aircraft consumption thanks to technological developments,” explains Tanguy Bertolus.
In its direct activity, Lyon Aéroport will multiply installation of photovoltaic panels on its car parks, roofs and on bodies of water by building “panel farms”.
Terminal 2 under construction
A first concrete project for a giant power plant has been announced for 2024 on the P5/P6 car park. The 14-hectare shaded solar power plant will cover 5,800 parking spaces at the airport and will be one of the “largest in France”. It will supply the site and represents the equivalent of the consumption of a town of 9,000 inhabitants.
Another major project underway: the renovation of Terminal 2, which should be completed in 2025. In addition to bringing it up to date, energy renovation work is underway.
The plane overused? The airport’s response to the mayor of Lyon Grégory Doucet
Stop flying for a weekend: this is the message regularly repeated by the environmentalist mayor of Lyon. Questioned by actu Lyon, the president of the management board of Lyon airport answers him.
“In the future, there will be an evolution in the use of the plane. We do not consider the train as a competitor. When there is a train service of less than 3 hours with competitive prices, obviously, it is the train. Today, apart from for connections, no one takes the plane to Paris. There are different needs for the train and the plane. We are lucky to have a station TGV, there are combinations. But the train does not solve everything. Sometimes the plane is the only way to get around. We must not have a dogmatic vision, the plane “is bad, it pollutes” “. The real subject is decarbonization. It is the first economic sector that has presented its roadmap on the subject. The plan is very concrete, it is not far-fetched. The plane is 3 or 4% of emissions. The mayor of Lyon takes the plane for political trips and that’s normal. Everyone takes the plane. It’s a chance, but we have to decarbonize”
Develop biofuel aircraft
Lyon Aéroport also wants to convert to biofuels for new generation aircraft.
87% of carbon emissions come directly from aircraft. “Currently in the world, 8 out of 10 aircraft are still old generation. Here in Lyon, we are developing the storage of biofuels for the planes that use them”, according to the chairman of the management board.
Soon hydrogen planes in Lyon?
But the “dream” of the sector is to imagine the aircraft of the future that will no longer pollute. Mirage or close reality? “Airbus is already developing the hydrogen plane, the first commercial flights are imaginable by 2035″, according to the airport manager.
That of Lyon in any case is preparing to welcome some with a station project in hydrogen that will be able to power these future devices. “We are discussing with the industrialists of the region. There is already a partnership with Air Liquide. We want to be the first French airport with hydrogen planes”.
In the shorter term, by 2024, visitor and professional car parks are also being equipped with electric charging stations.
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