By Geoff Percival,Stephen Aherne

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JetBlue has become the first commercial airline in the US to integrate SkyBreathe MyFuelCoach, an innovative application designed to help pilots optimise fuel usage and reduce emissions.

Part of the SkyBreathe suite of fuel efficiency tools from OpenAirlines, MyFuelCoach enables pilots to analyse their individual fuel performance on past flights and receive tailored recommendations to improve future fuel consumption.

Already used by more than 75 airlines worldwide, the globally recognized SkyBreathe solution combines machine learning and historical flight data to deliver actionable recommendations to help flight crews operate more efficiently and improve JetBlue’s current fuel optimization efforts, reducing JetBlue’s total fuel consumption. The platform supports JetBlue’s broader JetForward strategy by enhancing operational efficiency and lowering fuel consumption to help ensure a secure financial future.

“Over the course of more than 900 daily flights, small gains in efficiency can translate into major savings,” said Chris Lum, system chief pilot at JetBlue. “With access to SkyBreathe MyFuelCoach on the flight deck, our pilots have access to real-time performance insights that help them refine their procedures and contribute to our JetForward strategy, strengthening our financial foundation through cost savings while also meaningfully addressing our emissions.”

JetBlue’s fuel optimisation team will also be using the SkyBreathe 360 dashboard to identify broader operational trends. By analysing collected flight data from all flights, SkyBreathe is able to help highlight system-wide opportunities to save fuel. By refining taxi procedures and identifying airports or common operational configurations that could benefit from improved scheduling and procedures, the airline can further minimize the impact of ground delays or long taxi times that not only frustrate customers, but waste fuel.

“We are proud to partner with JetBlue, their rapid success with SkyBreathe, achieving significant fuel savings in just a few months, reflects their strong commitment and agility. The MyFuelCoach app play a crucial role to help pilots make more informed decisions and reinforce the airline fuel-conscious culture. JetBlue joins a global network of over 75 airlines leveraging digital technology for greater operational efficiency and a smaller carbon footprint. As the first US commercial airline in the SkyBreathe community, they demonstrate true leadership in digitalization, efficiency, and sustainability. We look forward to seeing more US airlines join us on this journey,” said Alexandre Feray, CEO of OpenAirlines.

JetBlue has already taken significant steps to reduce fuel consumption with efforts like single-engine taxiing, which saves an estimated 15,000 gallons of fuel per month. By examining historical flight data, SkyBreathe has already found an additional 73,000 gallons in potential monthly savings, equivalent to more than 700 tons of CO2e annually.

SkyBreathe joins a number of fuel-saving initiatives at JetBlue such as the airline’s implementation of PACE Aerospace’s SmartRoutes app for time and fuel savings in flight, and ongoing efforts improve fuel planning accuracy to reduce excess fuel loading without compromising safety. These optimization efforts also support JetBlue’s broader environmental strategy, which includes a younger, more efficient fleet, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), electrified ground operations, and investments in low-carbon technologies.