Google and Cathay Pacific are testing AI that helps aircraft avoid warming contrails

Google and Cathay Pacific are testing whether artificial intelligence can help commercial aircraft avoid creating climate-warming contrails.

Contrails are the white lines that sometimes form behind aircraft when water vapor freezes around particles in cold, humid air.

Although they appear temporary, some contrails can trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to aviation's overall climate impact.

Google's approach combines weather information and AI models to identify regions where persistent contrails are likely to form.

Pilots can then make relatively small altitude adjustments to avoid those areas when operational conditions allow.

Google says earlier trials reduced the warming impact associated with contrails by approximately 40%.

The company is now partnering with Cathay Pacific to expand testing across ultra-long-haul routes in the Asia-Pacific region.

The goal is to determine whether contrail avoidance can work reliably at larger scale without introducing excessive fuel use, operational complexity or cost.

Contrail mitigation is unusual because it targets aviation's climate impact without requiring a completely new aircraft or fuel technology.

If the approach proves practical, airlines could potentially reduce part of their warming effect through changes to flight planning and routing.

The Cathay Pacific trial will provide additional data from a region with different weather systems, flight paths and operating conditions than Google's earlier tests.