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Return flight Helsinki-Bangkok (economy, per passenger)

Meno-paluulento Helsinki-Bangkok (economy, per matkustaja)

40
Truecost score
Data confidence: HIGH

CO₂ emissions well-measured by ICAO and DEFRA. Non-CO₂ effects add uncertainty (RFI 2.0-3.0). Total estimate conservative.

A Helsinki-Bangkok return flight produces ~2,500 kg CO₂e per economy passenger — more than a quarter of one person's sustainable annual carbon budget.

Did you know? One Helsinki-Bangkok return exceeds a person's entire sustainable annual carbon budget by 2.6x. Flying is by far the highest-impact individual consumer choice.
Transparent calculation

How was this number determined?

The Truecost score is calculated from absolute physical values. Each row below shows the measured value, how it was normalized, and where it comes from.

Dimension Absolute value Score 100 = Normalized Weight Weighted Confidence
Carbon Emissions 2500.0 kg CO₂e 9.5 kg CO₂e 100 ×0.35 35.00 HIGH
Water Consumption 0.0 liters 3840 liters 0.0 ×0.2 0.00 HIGH
Land Use 0.0 m²·year 51 m²·year 0.0 ×0.2 0.00 HIGH
Waste 0.5 kg 5 kg 10.0 ×0.15 1.50 MEDIUM
Toxicity 5.0 µDALY 162 µDALY 3.09 ×0.1 0.31 LOW
Truecost score (weighted sum) 40
Floor rule applied: Dimension "Carbon Emissions" exceeds 80 (100), so the total was raised to minimum 40 (computed: 36.81).

Share of your annual planetary budget

Carbon Emissions 263.16%
Waste 0.10%
Toxicity 0.03%
Source data by dimension

Where do the absolute values come from?

Carbon Emissions
HIGH
Helsinki-Bangkok great circle distance: ~8,317 km (AirMilesCalculator). Return: ~16,634 km. ICAO calculator: ~573 kg CO₂ one-way (CO₂ only) = ~1,146 kg CO₂ return. With radiative forcing index (RFI ~2.0-3.0 for non-CO₂ effects: contrails, NOx, water vapor): 1,146 × 2.0 = ~2,300 kg CO₂e. DEFRA 2024 long-haul economy: 0.15 kg CO₂e/km × 16,634 = ~2,495 kg CO₂e. Using 2,500 kg CO₂e as rounded mid-estimate.
  • ICAO (2024): Carbon Emissions Calculator — icec.icao.int
  • DEFRA/DESNZ (2024): Greenhouse gas reporting conversion factors — UK Government
  • Lee et al. (2021): The contribution of global aviation to anthropogenic climate forcing — Atmospheric Environment 244
  • myclimate (2024): Flight Emissions Calculator methodology

CO₂-only emissions well-measured (~1,100-1,200 kg). Non-CO₂ multiplier (RFI) adds 2-3x but is scientifically debated. Range: 1,100 (CO₂ only) to 3,500 (high RFI). Using RFI 2.0 as conservative estimate.

Water Consumption
HIGH
No significant ground-level water consumption. In-flight water vapor emissions contribute to contrail formation but are not a consumptive water footprint.

Water vapor emitted at altitude has climate impact (captured in CO₂e via RFI) but is not a traditional water footprint.

Land Use
HIGH
Airport land use negligible per passenger per flight

Negligible.

Waste
MEDIUM
IATA estimates 1.4 kg waste per passenger on international long-haul flights. Much is food packaging and single-use items. Economy class generates less than business/first. Estimate ~0.5 kg for economy.
  • IATA (2023): Cabin Waste Report — airline in-flight waste statistics

Varies by airline and meal service. Some airlines working on waste reduction.

Toxicity
LOW
NOx emissions at altitude produce ozone (warming) and reduce methane. Ultrafine particle emissions near airports affect respiratory health. Contrails create 57% of aviation's warming impact. Rough estimate: 5 µDALY per passenger for a long-haul flight.
  • Lee et al. (2021): Global aviation climate forcing — Atmospheric Environment
  • Masiol & Harrison (2014): Aircraft emissions near airports — Atmospheric Environment

Health impacts of aviation emissions primarily affect communities near airports. High-altitude effects are climate-related rather than directly toxic.

Comparisons

Methodology

Based on ICAO carbon calculator (CO₂ only) multiplied by radiative forcing index (RFI 2.0) to account for non-CO₂ effects (contrails, NOx, water vapor). Cross-checked with DEFRA 2024 conversion factors. Great circle distance ~8,317 km one way.

Sources