Lufthansa pre-purchases 40,000 tonnes of Airbus direct air capture credits

Lufthansa Group signed a contract to pre-purchase 40,000 tonnes of CO2 removal credits from Airbus's Carbon Capture Offer service, at 10,000 tonnes annually for four years from 2026. As aviation decarbonisation reliance on removals grows, Indian carriers and corporates can study this direct air capture procurement model.

Lufthansa Group joined Airbus's carbon emissions initiative by adopting Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) technology, signing a contract to pre-purchase 40,000 tonnes of CO2 removal credits issued through the Airbus Carbon Capture Offer service starting 2026. The agreement covers 10,000 tonnes annually for four years. DACCS extracts CO2 directly from the atmosphere using powerful fans, storing it underground in geologic saline formations, allowing aviation to offset emissions the IPCC recognises as crucial for net-zero targets.

The agreement affects the aviation sector and its decarbonisation strategy. Lufthansa Group targets a neutral CO2 balance by 2050 and aims to halve net CO2 emissions by 2030 versus 2019, with the reduction component validated by the Science Based Targets initiative in August 2022. Caroline Drischel, Head of Corporate Responsibility, framed carbon removal as complementary to fleet modernisation and Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Airbus's Nicolas Chrétien noted Lufthansa was among the first aviation companies to explore direct air carbon capture and storage with Airbus.

Aviation companies should monitor the 2026 start of Airbus Carbon Capture Offer credit issuance and the four-year, 10,000-tonne annual delivery schedule. Carriers building net-zero roadmaps can assess how pre-purchase removal contracts complement emission reductions and Sustainable Aviation Fuel investments. Indian airlines and aviation stakeholders pursuing 2050 net-zero alignment should track the credibility and cost of DACCS credits, alongside SBTi-validated reduction targets, as the sector formalises its reliance on engineered carbon removals.

Key figure — Removal credits purchased: 40,000 tonnes of CO2 (10,000 tonnes annually for four years)