• £5m trial, backed by the UK Government and Google, will identify where vapour trails are likely to form and how they can be avoided, in a bid to clean up air travel.
  
• World-first tests will assess whether planes can avoid weather conditions over the Atlantic Ocean that cause long-lasting trails in the sky, that develop into clouds that warm the climate.
  
• Department for Transport is putting £2.6m behind the 30-month trial, which will use Met Office weather forecasts and Google’s artificial intelligence to suggest different flight paths for some routes over the North Atlantic.
  
• This is the latest in a tranche of funding for green aviation, including £219 million announced in June to boost clean fuel production, with low carbon fuels expected to support 15,000 jobs and add £5 billion to the UK economy by 2050.
  
• The Government is also delivering £43 million for clean aviation technologies, including electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, as well as flying taxis.
  
• It also follows recent Court of Appeal rulings clearing the way for expansion at Gatwick and Luton, underlining the need for continued investment in aviation decarbonisation. The Government has been clear that any expansion plans must meet strict environmental requirements.
  
• Project will use normal air traffic control procedures and will only go ahead after full checks to ensure altitude changes are performed safely – with testing planned for the winters of 2026–27 and 2027–28.

Keir Mather, UK Government Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Freight, said: “We’re partnering with Google to back British experts and innovators to find practical ways to make flying cleaner. This is a world-first, and it’s British ingenuity leading the way. By testing small tweaks to flight paths over the Atlantic, we can cut the vapour trails left behind by planes. From £219 million for home-grown sustainable fuel to zero-emission aircraft, we’re backing innovation to make UK aviation cleaner, support thousands of skilled jobs, and drive growth in the sector.”

Blair McDougall, Industry Minister, said: “This project shows how government, industry and academia are working together in partnership to keep Britain’s world-class aerospace sector at the cutting edge of innovation and move us forward in the race to net zero aviation. Backed by our Modern Industrial Strategy and funding delivered through the ATI Programme, we’re giving innovators the confidence to invest, collaborate and scale up in the UK, supporting high-skilled jobs and driving good growth in every corner of the country.”

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