CubusSKY™: One Step to Net Zero in Aviation
- Casper Schultz
- Mar 10
- 4 min read
The aviation industry is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, following a resolution signed by IATA member airlines. This collective commitment underscores the need for industry-wide optimisation, spanning fuel efficiency, aircraft technology, and operational improvements. As outlined in the IATA resolution, reducing aviation's environmental impact requires optimisation across multiple parameters, including fuel efficiency, aircraft technology, operational improvements and new technologies.
One critical yet often overlooked aspect of this journey is onboard optimisation, especially considering the hidden costs associated with transporting unnecessary weight. Every additional kilogram carried onboard requires extra fuel, which accumulates significantly over a year. By leveraging data-driven insights, airlines can minimise excess inventory, reducing operational costs while cutting carbon emissions - a win-win for both profitability and the environment. This is where CubusSKY™, our intelligent inflight technology suite, plays a game-changing role.
The Net-Zero Challenge and the Need for Innovation
According to IATA, the expected carbon emissions under a 'business as usual' scenario between 2021 and 2050 would amount to 21.2 gigatons of CO2. Achieving net zero requires a multi-pronged approach:
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) – 65% contribution
New Technologies – 13% contribution
Operational and Infrastructure Improvements – 3% contribution
Carbon Capture and Offsetting – 19% contribution
While SAF and new aircraft technologies attract most of the attention, enhancing efficiency through data-driven onboard systems can make an immediate impact with minimal disruption.
Number and Stats from IATA Net zero 2050 resolution read more here
How CubusSKY™ Drives Aviation Sustainability
CubusSKY™ is a server-based onboard technology that optimises inflight sales operations, from passenger service to inventory management. By leveraging real-time data and predictive analytics, CubusSKY™ enables airlines to reduce waste, cut excess weight, and improve overall flight efficiency – while enhancing passenger experience. Additionally, CubusSKY™ collects passenger data to map onboard behavior, leveraging masked, non-GDPR sensitive data such as PNR information, timestamps, attempted orders, and stock availability. This data generates predictive insights over time, allowing airlines to anticipate what to uplift, what to serve, and when to start onboard promotions to optimise sales and reduce excess stock. This approach is beneficial for increasing revenue, reducing unnecessary weight, and ultimately contributing to a greener aviation industry.
Here’s how it contributes to the net-zero goal:
Optimised Uplift and Inventory Management
Less weight, less fuel burn: Traditional onboard stocking practices often rely on historical averages rather than real-time data. CubusSKY™ ensures that only the necessary items are uplifted, significantly reducing excess weight.
Dynamic inventory management: In an ideal world, Airlines can adjust onboard catering, duty-free products, and other services based on passenger profiles and real-time demand.
Passenger-Centric Personalisation
Pre-orders and targeted recommendations: Instead of carrying surplus items, CubusSKY™ allows passengers to pre-order meals, beverages, and duty-free goods.
AI-driven passenger insights: The system analyses past behaviour and preferences, reducing the risk of overstocking unnecessary items and helping to serve the passengers first choice of meal and beverage.
Enhanced Crew Efficiency and Reduced Resource Wastage
Smart workflow automation: Cabin crew can use CubusSKY™ to streamline operations, leading to faster service, less food waste, and better allocation of resources.
Reduced paper waste: Digitalising processes like passenger manifests, inventory tracking, and reporting eliminates the need for printed materials.
Dead weights: Onboard magazines could easily be digitalized and access via our solution, leading to noticeable dead weight cut.
Seamless Integration with Airline Systems
CubusSKY™ seamlessly integrates with airline ERP, Roaster, Flight schduale and CRM systems, allowing for continuous data-driven decision-making.
Supports real-time connectivity or offline synchronisation, making it viable for all flight operations, regardless of internet access.
Promotions and Survey
CubusSKY™ enables on-the-go promotions, meaning that Crew can start “happy hours” at the end of the leg to empty trollies and make onboard push notifications to passengers with targeted promotions
Collecting of supervised data via surveys: imagine that passengers could easily answer multiple surveys while in air, for each survey you could pay them with a super deal / promotion
Why Pay Attention
For airlines, adopting CubusSKY™ means enhanced customer experience, cost savings, operational efficiency, and a reduced environmental footprint. Unlike SAF or new aircraft technologies, which require significant R&D investment and regulatory approvals, CubusSKY™ is a ready-to-deploy solution that delivers tangible sustainability and passenger benefits today.
The Future of Sustainable Aviation
The race to net zero is not just about reducing carbon emissions - it’s about making aviation smarter, leaner, and more sustainable. Airlines that embrace data-driven onboard optimisation will gain a competitive edge while actively contributing to industry-wide sustainability goals.
Are you ready to transform your airline operations for a greener future? Let's talk about how Cubus Technology can help you achieve your net-zero targets today with CubusSKY™
CubusSKY™
Is a server solution consisting of 2 main applications that enables onboard sales and data collection. The solution can run via a cloud solution (eg. AWS) or via TEAC PortaStream V-50 that is certified and can be carried onboard with no hard installations.
SkyCrew™
A crew application that manages the onboard shop. It's handles to open and close the store, start onboard promotions, Handles incoming orders from Passengers, handles payments in off-line mode and much more.
SkyCart™
a eCommerce onboard platform where passengers have the opportunity to shop as a guest or login with their frequent flyer profile. The platform enables customer target promotions (eg special deals to certain tier members), onboard surveys, ease of browsing the onboard catalogue and, of course, valuable collection on onboard passenger behaviour / data collection for analysis.
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