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UK puts Google AI on the flight path to fewer contrails
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The UK government is funding a 30-month trial that combines Met Office forecasts with Google AI to suggest flight path changes that avoid persistent contrails over the North Atlantic.
This trial tests whether small route and altitude tweaks can cut aviation's non-CO2 warming impact without waiting for new aircraft. Engineers will need to weigh the climate benefit of avoiding contrails against the extra fuel burned, and the outcome depends on how accurately contrail-forming conditions can be predicted.
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The Department for Transport is investing £2.6 million in a 30-month project combining Met Office forecasts with Google AI to suggest alternative flight paths.
Flight tests are scheduled for the winters of 2026-27 and 2027-28, with any route or altitude changes going through normal air traffic control procedures and safety checks.
The trial must establish whether the climate benefit of dodging persistent contrails outweighs the additional fuel burned from changing routes or altitude.
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