Air France, the French flag-carrier, has said that congestion at London Heathrow airport is pointlessly pushing up carriers' fuel consumption and carbon emissions at present.

The carrier condemned air traffic control systems at London Heathrow as it pushed its own environmental record at an event in the French capital city of Paris yesterday. Many other things are coming against the congestion problems of Heathrow Airport, London, but it seems that there is no near-future solution for these problems.

The carrier's head of flight handling and infrastructure, Francoise Barrard, said that the carrier's reduced fuel consumption in 2006-07 through practices like decreasing taxiing time and shifting approach routes to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in the capital city. This resulted in 13,000 tonnes of fuel, but similar efforts at London Heathrow would be caught due to congestion.

"It is a touchy subject. In London air traffic control decides to keep all aircraft in the air and you wait a long time. You never wait on the ground", she said.

Pierre Caussade, the carrier's vice-president for quality, environment and sustainable development, said that an "air calculator used by the French flag carrier gave appreciably higher results at London Heathrow airport when the facility was congested.

This is could turn out to be a serious issue for the concept of green travel and London air traffic would continue to spend more fuel which is not economical and not ecological by any means.