In the aviation sector, environmental schemes such as carbon taxes have been proposed but not successfully implemented. Extant literature sufficiently examines various aviation networks for environmental-efficiency but is scarce with regard to ensuring their implementation. Based on this motivation, this study not only deliberates on “what” constitutes a sustainable aviation network but also addresses “how” it can be realized. This article proposes differential carbon tax policy in the form of an inverse optimization-based mechanism that governs the behavior of airline carriers such that they operate on routes that constitute a sustainable aviation network. This article also explores the positive externality of the proposed mechanism to enhance societal development by incentivizing airlines to render their services at remote locations. Therefore, unlike extant literature that explores the normative aspects of plausible sustainable aviation networks, this article proposes an implementation framework to realize the desired aviation network. It delineates policy directives in the form of differential carbon taxes to tweak the selection of routes by the airline carriers. The proposed carbon tax policy not only makes the airline carriers accountable for the carbon emissions but also steers them in the direction of constituting the desired aviation network defined as per the goals of policymakers. The differential carbon tax policy can be used to ensure the realization of an aviation network directed towards environmental efficiency (or) social development. The proposed aviation policy framework is multi-faceted and addresses the twin pillars of environmental and social sustainability.

在航空领域，已经提出了诸如碳税之类的环境计划，但并未成功实施。现有文献充分研究了各种航空网络的环境效率，但是在确保其实施方面却很少。基于这种动机，本研究不仅考虑了“什么”构成了可持续的航空网络，而且还探讨了“如何”实现它。本文以基于逆向优化的机制的形式提出了差异化碳税政策，该机制控制着航空公司的行为，从而使航空公司在构成可持续航空网络的航线上运行。本文还探讨了通过激励航空公司在偏远地区提供服务来增强社会发展的拟议机制的积极外部性。所以，与探索可行的可持续航空网络规范方面的现有文献不同，本文提出了一种实现所需航空网络的实施框架。它以差别碳税的形式描述了政策指令，以调整航空公司的航线选择。拟议的碳税政策不仅使航空公司对碳排放负责，而且使他们朝着构成根据决策者目标定义的所需航空网络的方向发展。差别碳税政策可用于确保实现针对环境效率（或）社会发展的航空网络。拟议的航空政策框架是多方面的，涉及环境和社会可持续性的双重支柱。