Global warming potential and enviroeconomic impact of commercial flights: A pre- to post-COVID-19 analysis

This study explores the environmental and economic impacts of aviation emissions, focusing on the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Using real flight data from Batman Airport, the research examines aircraft emissions, global warming potential (GWP), specific environmental impacts (SEI), and specific eco-cost (SEC) from 2018 to 2023. The analysis reveals significant reductions in total emissions of greenhouse gases (CO2, HC, CO, NOx) during 2020, while per-passenger emissions increased. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, total CO2 emissions in 2020 decreased by 31.45%, while emissions per passenger rose by 9.7%. Similar patterns were observed for HC, CO, and NOx. The pandemic-induced reduction in aviation activity led to a 32.1% decrease in GWP and a 31.7% reduction in SEC for the same period. However, the rapid recovery in 2021 saw emissions and environmental costs return to near pre-pandemic levels by 2023. This research provides valuable insights into the long-term environmental effects of reduced air travel during COVID-19 and highlights strategies to mitigate aviation-related emissions, such as reducing taxi times to loer pollutants and their associated environmental costs.