AirAsia Philippines is reinforcing its commitment to decarbonizing aviation by adopting Combo Units—combined air conditioning and ground power units—into its ground service equipment fleet. This move aims to significantly improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions at the airport.
The implementation of Combo Units in the Philippines marks a crucial step in localizing AirAsia Aviation Group’s regional push for lower-carbon operations. AirAsia Philippines is the second airline in the group to introduce this cutting-edge ground support technology at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport after a successful rollout in Malaysia.
The Combo Units provide aircraft on the ramp with sufficient electrical and air-cooling capabilities during pre-flight and transit. By reducing reliance on the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU), the technology is expected to cut ground emissions by up to 90 percent under optimal use, all while maintaining a comfortable boarding experience for passengers. The measure also helps reduce air and noise pollution on the ramp, leading to better working conditions for baggage handlers and ground technicians.
The deployment of two Combo Units is expected to deliver an estimated 1,300 tonnes of CO₂ reduction each year.
“Our efforts to reduce emissions go hand in hand with improving the travel experience of our guests. The Combo Units not only lower our fuel consumption and carbon footprint but also ensure our guests remain comfortable while the aircraft is at the ramp, ready for their purposeful journey,” Capt. Suresh Bangah, chief executive of AirAsia Philippines said.
This initiative complements AirAsia Philippines’ fuel efficiency program, which collectively helped the low-cost carrier save 3,851 tonnes of fuel and avoid 12,169 tonnes of CO₂ emissions in 2024. These fuel efficiency measures delivered an improvement in AirAsia Philippines’ carbon intensity. The airline’s carbon dioxide per available seat kilometer (CO₂/ASK) dropped by 1.2g to 73.9g with the biggest contribution by efficiency improvements, while carbon dioxide per revenue passenger kilometer (CO₂/RPK) fell by 3.1g to 82.8g due to higher load factors.
