"Our vision of what makes a flight eco-friendly has changed"

In this interview, Solenne Regourd, Head of the Amelia Green project, explains how technology, collaboration, and operational adjustments are accelerating Amelia’s transition towards more sustainable aviation.

Can you tell us all about Amelia?

Amelia has been in the aviation sector for over 40 years, originally operating under the Regourd Aviation Group since 1976. Our core mission today is to serve French regions through a reliable, adaptable, and customer-focused airline.

Over the years, we expanded into business aviation in Africa, and five years ago, we repositioned our services to regional commercial routes, including flights delegated by Air France.

Amelia has evolved into a fully-fledged airline. Can you tell us more?

Absolutely! Since January 2020, we have been operating under our own brand, offering direct passenger flights from cities like Rodez, Clermont-Ferrand, and Brive to Paris, as well as Strasbourg-Munich routes.

Our operations include:

• Scheduled passenger routes (5 main routes)
• Charter flights
• Transporting sports teams

Our fleet (Embraer 135 & 145, ATR 72-600 & 42-500, A319) is maintained in-house, giving us a 99% reliability rate and high customer satisfaction.

What inspired the Amelia Green project?

During the Covid crisis, which we navigated with the support of regional authorities, we identified a new strategic priority: sustainability.

We recognized our responsibility as an airline to play an active role in decarbonizing aviation, working alongside industry partners and startups to drive innovation and adopt greener practices.

How does the Amelia Green project work?

We take a pragmatic, agile approach. As a smaller airline, we can quickly test and implement impactful ideas.

We proactively collaborate with technology leaders, such as:

• Universal Hydrogen, to integrate hybrid engine kits by 2025

Thales, to implement the Flights Footprint Estimator for real-time environmental impact analysis

How did your partnership with Thales begin?

We quickly established a strong working relationship with Thales. After initial discussions, we committed in mid-2021 to testing the Flights Footprint Estimator using our historical flight data.

In late 2021, we conducted trials and moved towards live flight implementation.

What are your key takeaways so far?

The Flights Footprint Estimator has transformed our understanding of what makes a flight eco-friendly.

CO₂ & non-CO₂ impact: The tool considers not just carbon emissions, but also NOx emissions and contrail effects, offering a comprehensive environmental assessment.

Operational optimizations: We’ve identified quick-impact adjustments, such as collaborating more closely with air traffic control to optimize flight paths.

What’s next for Amelia Green?

We are now moving towards real-time use of the Flights Footprint Estimator on our French regional routes. By testing alternative low-impact trajectories, we aim to significantly reduce our environmental footprint.

This collaboration with Thales, along with our partnerships with other aviation innovators, is helping accelerate the shift toward sustainable air transport.

Through technology-driven innovation, Amelia and Thales are reshaping regional aviation sustainability, demonstrating that eco-friendly flights are achievable today.