TAP Air Portugal adopts lighter aircraft paint to cut fuel use and emissions

TAP Air Portugal is introducing a new lightweight aircraft paint technology across its fleet as part of its strategy to improve operational efficiency and reduce its environmental footprint.

Following successful trials on two Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline will gradually roll out AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings’ Aerobase UPD paint system fleet-wide. The new formulation reduces the aircraft’s basecoat thickness by 36% and cuts the weight of each aircraft by up to 26 kilograms while maintaining the durability and finish required for commercial operations.

Tests on a TAP A320 achieved a weight reduction of 24 kilograms. Across the airline’s entire fleet, the lighter coating is expected to save approximately 428.5 tonnes of fuel annually, reducing operating costs by more than €500,000 per year and cutting CO? emissions by around 1,353 tonnes.

Beyond lowering aircraft weight, the new coating also simplifies the painting process by requiring only a single basecoat application instead of the traditional two-coat system. This shortens maintenance times, eliminates an intermediate drying stage and improves productivity in paint shops. The updated formulation also offers around 40% greater resistance to paint sagging, helping ensure more consistent results.

TAP says the initiative demonstrates how relatively small technical improvements can deliver meaningful long-term environmental and operational benefits when implemented across an entire fleet. The airline views the programme as another step in its broader efforts to improve fuel efficiency and support more sustainable aviation operations.