Complex fuzzy assessment of green flight activity investments for sustainable aviation industry

Abstract

The aviation industry harms the environment mainly via the creation of carbon emissions. Hence, action needs to be taken to ensure the environmental sustainability of the aviation industry such as the recycling of waste products, effective waste management and the introduction of energy efficiency measures. However, at the same time, the implementation of improvements to remediate such problems leads to the creation of additional costs for aviation companies. Companies thus need to conduct comprehensive priority analyses regarding the optimum strategy for the sustainability of the aviation industry. However, there is a very limited number of studies in the literature that focused on which approach should be prioritized. Accordingly, this study aimed at the assessment of the viability of investing in so-called green flight measures in the aviation industry, for which a completely original decision-making model was created. Firstly, the various strategic priorities were weighted and the impact-relation directions between them illustrated aimed at the identification of potential influences by means of a multi stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (M-SWARA) methodology that incorporates bipolar q-rung orthopair fuzzy sets (q-ROFSs) and golden cut. Secondly, the various flight activities are ranked, and the potential impacts of these activities determined in terms of the strategic priorities of a sustainable aviation industry employing q-ROF as the elimination and choice translating reality (ELECTRE) technique. All the calculations were also computed with intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) and Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFSs) aimed at verifying the validity of the findings. The analysis concluded that while energy efficiency comprises the most important factor in terms of strategic priority investment for the circular economy-based aviation industry, emergency response makes up the most crucial activity in the industry. Operational efficiency must be prioritized to decrease the amount of fuel consumed, in connection with which flight routes should be planned according to current weather conditions, which would serve to shorten flight times and, thus, help to increase energy efficiency. Such an approach would make a positive contribution to minimizing carbon emissions aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the aviation industry.