Cathay Pacific trials Google’s AI-powered contrail avoidance technology across its network

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific has become the first commercial airline in the Asia-Pacific region to partner with Google on advancing research on contrail avoidance and will be the first airline globally to test contrail avoidance on ultra-long-haul-flights. Using Google’s AI-powered contrail mitigation technology, the companies have started trials to evaluate the operational feasibility and constraints of contrail avoidance across Cathay’s network. An operational trial began in late 2025 with more than 100 flights targeted. Over 80 of these flights were selected to follow contrail avoidance routes and Google estimates they achieved roughly a 40% reduction in the warming impact of contrails. The Hong Kong-Singapore corridor, where persistent contrails frequently form, was one of the routes tested.

The partners report early analysis indicates that minor altitude adjustments can successfully prevent contrails, with actions taken on this single route accounting for more than 50% of the trial’s total climate impact.

Using real-world operational data from the flight trials, they expect the insights will help build further understanding of the impact and possible actions airlines across the industry can take to implement and manage contrail avoidance.

“Aviation needs solutions to address climate change and AI is accelerating that progress. This partnership combines Cathay’s operational expertise with Google’s world-class AI capabilities to tackle complex sustainability challenges at scale,” said the airline’s Lawrence Fong, Director Digital and IT.

Google’s contrail mitigation solution combines AI-based predictive models, satellite imagery detection tools and weather intelligence to forecast contrail-forming zones. This data allows flight dispatchers and pilots to make informed altitude adjustments navigating around these zones in the same routine way used to avoid turbulence, explains the company.

Cathay Pacific combines in-flight wi-fi connectivity with its in-house developed Electronic Flight Folder. The EFF system equips pilots with dynamic Google contrail forecasts alongside real-time operational parameters, enabling decision-making in the cockpit without disrupting normal operations.

While the initial trial delivered “encouraging” results on individual flights, the partners say further trials and research are needed to assess the benefits of applying contrail avoidance measures across airlines and airspaces. “The availability of such robust science evidence will enable further industry considerations and policy development by airlines, regulators and other industry players,” they add.

The partners are therefore embarking on a larger second phase of flight trials to generate a broader set of real-world operational data and further insights across Cathay’s Asia and transpacific network. Contrails.org, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to advancing the science of contrail mitigation, has also joined the project.

“At Google, we believe AI has the power to help address complex environmental challenges and our partnership with Cathay Pacific is a prime example of this in action – researching how predictive AI can be deployed in live operations to help address the climate impact of contrails with today’s aircraft and today’s fuel,” commented Michael Yue, Managing Director and General Manager, Google Hong Kong. “This work reflects our ongoing commitment to developing sustainable solutions that deliver lasting impact, and we’re excited to expand our trial with Cathay Pacific and continue contributing to open climate science together.”

Top photo: Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000

Bottom photo (left to right): Captain Tony Pringle, Cathay Pacific Line Operations Manager; Lawrence Fong, Cathay Director Digital and IT; Michael Yue, Managing Director and General Manager, Google Hong Kong; and Kemal Armada, Product Manager, Climate & AI, Google