BA jumbo flies 6,000 miles (and burns 5,400 carloads of fuel) with all its 300 seats empty

The Boeing 747 made the 11-hour trip manned by just four flightdeck crew, while all 300 seats behind them remained empty.

During its journey from Heathrow, BA Flight 0027 burned a massive 140 tons of fuel – the equivalent of filling 5,400 family-sized cars – and emitted 329 tons of CO2.

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Passengers due to board the aircraft last Sunday were told by BA staff that not enough cabin crew were available for duty and they caught a later flight.

It is thought that scores more planes are being flown without passengers all over the world.

Today, another BA jumbo due to fly from Heathrow to Bombay in India is expected to have no passengers on both its outward and return journeys. The 9,000-mile round trip will burn at least 200 tons of fuel and emit 486 tons of CO2.

BA claims on its website that it is "leading the climate change debate" in the aviation industry to reduce the carbon footprint and that the "most senior people at British Airways are taking a leading role".

It adds: "Together, we promote technology that helps limit the impact of aircraft."

But Greenpeace climate campaigner Anna Jones said: "Aviation is now responsible for 13 per cent of the UK's impact on the climate, and this figure is rising fast.

"While the airlines tell us they desperately need new terminals and runways, they fly empty planes halfway across the world.

"Gordon Brown needs to get a grip on this industry before its wastefulness ruins our chances of tackling climate change."

And Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Peter Ainsworth said last night: "This is a stark example of the perverse way in which the aviation industry works.

"It is utterly ludicrous that at a time of growing public concern about aviation's contribution to climate change, British Airways is operating ghost flights in order to keep its take-off and landing slots at airports."

A BA spokesman said that although the flights did not have any passengers, they carried extra freight.

He added: "The flights would have flown as part of the schedule anyway, so no extra emissions are being created.

"This is about minimising customer inconvenience wherever possible and ensuring that as many flights in our schedule operate as planned."