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Dave

British Airways announces new direct flight from London to Cincinnati

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British Airways has announced a new direct route from London Heathrow to the Cincinnati region, starting from Summer 2023.

Cincinnati will become the 27th US destination served directly from London by British Airways, which offers 300 transatlantic flights per week, the most of any UK carrier.

Starting on 5 June 2023, this will be the only direct flight between the UK and all of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, creating incredible new opportunities across both sides of the pond. The flight will operate five times per week in the summer season and four in the winter.

Resting along the banks of the Ohio River, the Cincinnati region spans portions of three states – Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

Affectionately nicknamed Cincy or the Queen City, the area is home to world-class museums, more than 50 breweries, the USA’s largest Oktoberfest, three major sports teams spanning American football, basketball and football, and the Krohn Conservatory, an Art Deco greenhouse featuring 3,500 plant species from all over the world.

It’s renowned for its Cincinnati Chili, handmade ice cream and beer, whilst acting as a gateway to Northern Kentucky and the famed Bourbon Trail, a playground for bourbon-lovers. In addition, Kentucky is also synonymous with gorgeous rolling hills and bluegrass music.

Neil Chernoff, Director of Networks and Alliances at British Airways, said,

This is the first time we’ve flown this route, and we can’t wait to connect two cities which both have so much to offer. Not only will this open up these destinations to customers on each side of the Atlantic, but it will also improve connectivity between the Cincinnati region, Europe and beyond, with opportunities to connect to our wider network via London.

Candace McGraw, chief executive officer of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) said:

British Airways’ nonstop service from CVG to London-Heathrow is an all-around win for the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana region. The economic impact of this transatlantic flight is exponential for business travel, economic development, and tourism between the UK and our area of the United States. We look forward to a strong partnership with our new friends across the pond for many years to come.

British Airways passengers travelling to Cincinnati will travel in comfort on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with a choice of three cabins – World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and Club World (business).

Dave

BA’s Project Speedbird moves a step closer to large-scale production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the UK

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British Airways, LanzaJet and Nova Pangaea Technologies have signed an agreement that will accelerate their ground-breaking Project Speedbird initiative to develop cost-effective sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial use in the UK. 

As part of the agreement, British Airways’ parent company IAG, is investing in the project to support the next phase of development work that it says “will help decarbonise the aviation industry”.

Project Speedbird was initially launched by the three companies in 2021 and was granted nearly £500,000 by the Department for Transport’s Green Fuels, Green Skies competition to fund an initial feasibility study for the early-stage development of the project. This work is now complete and so the next stage of development can begin. Once in operation, it would be the UK’s first SAF facility utilising agricultural and wood waste taken from sustainable sources.

Project Speedbird has now applied for the DfT’s Advanced Fuels Fund grant for additional funding, which will be key to the project’s continued development whilst the DfT seeks to roll out its recently announced Jet Zero strategy that includes implementing a SAF mandate to come into force in 2025, which will require at least 10% of UK jet fuel to be SAF by 2030.

Project Speedbird would transform agricultural and wood waste taken from sustainable sources into 102 million litres of SAF per year. Construction could begin as early as 2023 and the facility, which is planned to be built in the North East of England, is expected to be producing SAF by 2026.

British Airways intends to offtake all SAF produced through Project Speedbird to help power some of its flights. The SAF produced would reduce CO2 emissions, on a net lifecycle basis, by 230,000 tonnes a year. The airline claims this is is the equivalent emissions of approximately 26,000 British Airways domestic flights.

Overall, Project Speedbird has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions, British Airways claims, by up to 770,000 tonnes a year as the combined processes also produce renewable diesel and a material called biochar – a carbon-rich charcoal-like material left over after the agricultural and wood wastes have been processed. Biochar is a natural carbon removal method.

The SAF will be developed using a combination of leading-edge technologies based on Nova Pangaea’s REFNOVA® process of converting agricultural and wood waste into bioethanol and biochar. LanzaJet’s proprietary and patented alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) technology, the first of its kind in the world, then converts the bioethanol to produce SAF and renewable diesel.

Project Speedbird would provide significant skilled employment with the generation of hundreds of jobs and supply chain opportunities in the North East of England and help spread the benefits of investment in green technologies across the UK. It would also bolster the UK’s energy security as the facility would boost domestic production.

Sarah Ellerby, CEO at Nova Pangaea Technologies, said: 

This project will deliver the first end-to-end, sustainable value chain from agricultural and wood waste to SAF in the UK. It will undoubtedly play a very important role in the growing momentum towards decarbonising our aviation sector. The support from British Airways is a vote of huge confidence in our technology and will accelerate its commercialisation. In July, the UK Government announced its Jet Zero strategy signalling a SAF mandate of 10% of all UK flights to run on SAF by 2030. This agreement is another significant step towards meeting this mandate in the UK. Our aim is to help the UK become a global leader in the end-to-end SAF market, with consequent benefits to employment and business activity.

Carrie Harris, Director of Sustainability at British Airways, said: 

Project Speedbird is another great step towards our mission to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner and achieve our target of using SAF for 10% of our fuel by 2030. SAF is in high demand but in short supply across the globe and so it is essential that we scale up its production as quickly as possible. With further investment and continued government support, Speedbird will be a key and pioneering project in the production of SAF here in the UK. The biochar carbon removal opportunities are another important aspect of this impressive innovative project that can contribute to our net zero action. We are delighted to be a part of this important project, illustrating how we’re putting sustainability at the heart of our business with our BA Better World sustainability programme.

Jimmy Samartzis, CEO at LanzaJet, said:

The U.K. is a critical market in the decarbonisation of the aviation industry, and this partnership brings together the full value chain from agricultural and wood waste to finished Sustainable Aviation Fuel and use by British Airways. As the U.K. sits at an inflection point in its quest to decarbonise, Project Speedbird represents historical significance with an eye toward the future. This is about impact – on the economy, on energy security, and on climate. We appreciate the DfT’s support as we scale-up, continue to improve capital and process efficiency, and enable production and use of SAF at a time when immediate action is needed.

Dave

Club World full-service returns to British Airways

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British Airways has relaunched its much-anticipated Club World (business class) service with delicious new menus offering customers a more brasserie-style dining experience when they travel.

The return to a full service includes new, enhanced standards of dining where each course is served to customers individually. British Airways serves signature hot soups and warm desserts, such as artichoke and parmesan soup with rye croutons and warm apple strudel with vanilla sauce, which are both perfect starts to the airline’s winter menus.  

British Airways has returned to its much-loved full Club World service, enhancing the premium dining experience as part of the airline’s plans to continue to improve its product proposition. The service was simplified during the pandemic to reduce interaction between cabin crew and customers.

British Airways’ new Club World menus reflect its commitment to using British provenance and premium ingredients from local producers celebrating originality.

There is a range of seasonal options for customers to choose from, such as the British Original Cottage Pie or chocolate fondant with crème anglaise.

In addition, the airline will also be offering menus with regional variations that features cuisines tailored to specific routes, including lemon and herb grilled mahi-mahi fish on its Caribbean flights, chicken dum biryani on routes from India and king prawn machbous from the Middle East.

For those customers wanting to maximise their sleep on board, the airline has also reintroduced its express service on evening flights. Customers can request a one tray service so they can enjoy a quick bite to eat and then head to sleep if they wish.

The new menus have been carefully curated by British Airways’ culinary experts and have been thoughtfully paired with beverage options from the airline’s inflight drinks menu. Over the last few months, the airline has been trialling menu variations and service styles with the airline’s cabin crew to ensure they meet customers’ expectations.

Sajida Ismail, British Airways’ Head of Onboard Experience, said:

It’s incredibly important that when we brought our full service back, it exceeded our customers’ expectations. We have taken time to ensure that we are offering a premium brasserie-style dining experience that not only tastes good, but one that our crew feel confident in delivering. We have had such great feedback from the recent introduction of new menus across our First, World Traveller Plus, World Traveller and Club Europe cabins and we know our new Club World menus won’t disappoint.

In addition, the airline is also introducing a refreshed Club World check-in zone at Heathrow Terminal 5, to enhance the premium experience at every step of their journey.

British Airways is also continuing to roll out its newest business class seat, Club Suite, across its Boeing 777 fleet. The airline has taken delivery of another A350 aircraft this year, which has the Club Suite installed as well as the latest generation of the First cabin, including the introduction of the First suite door.

Dave

British Airways and Qatar Airways form the largest airline joint business

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Qatar Airways and British Airways have completed the latest phase in the expansion of their partnership, offering global connectivity between more countries than any other airline joint business.

The airlines have added 42 new countries to their shared network, including Italy, the Maldives, Norway, Singapore, and Sweden, giving passengers enhanced access between destinations in Europe and the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Customers will now benefit from even greater choices in prices and schedules with options for direct flights as well as connections via hubs in London and Doha. This is all part of Qatar Airways and British Airways’ plan to “Move Further Together” by enhancing the joint network and providing passengers with the best of both airlines.

The expansion will enable seamless connecting journeys on single tickets through Doha and London, bringing the total number of destinations served by the two airlines to 185 across more than 60 countries. The complementary networks uniquely access dozens of countries that no other alliance or joint business provides. The partnership also ensures access to more cities around the world than ever before, continuing to support global trade, tourism, investment, and cultural connection.

Partnership:British Airways and Qatar Airways celebrate the latest milestone in the expansion of their joint business

Additionally, customers will have more freedom to engage with both airlines’ loyalty programmes, earning and spending Avios, their common currency. Customers are able to seamlessly link their Qatar Airways Privilege Club and British Airways Executive Club accounts to transfer Avios between the two, and combine balances to claim rewards offered by each programme. The collaboration also offers access to both airline’s exclusive lounges, and cabins to suit all budgets and needs, including British Airways’ new Club Suite and Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said,

The growing collaboration between Qatar Airways and British Airways shows our customers our common goal to offer an unparalleled network with unique benefits. Travellers can now experience the best in quality and service as they travel across our joint network.  The joint business between our airlines cements both Qatar Airways and British Airways as industry leaders, aiming to provide the utmost flexibility and unrivalled connectivity to our customers.

Sean Doyle, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for British Airways said,

This is a huge milestone in our long-standing relationship with Qatar Airways, an airline that shares our passion for customer service, choice and flexibility.

From idyllic holiday hotspots such as the Maldives and Thailand, to business hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong, we are pleased to open up the world as the travel industry continues to make steps towards its recovery.

British Airways said that co-operation on a small number of routes remains subject to pending regulatory clearances.

Dave

British Airways September Sale

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British Airways and British Airways Holidays have launched their September sale, with reductions made across a range of flights and holidays all the way into the summer of 2023.

Running until 20 September 2022, the sale offers discounts on travel across the globe, from Europe city-breaks to far-flung Caribbean getaways and 2022 winter sun trips to 2023 holidays-of-a-lifetime.

Return British Airways flights available include Heathrow to Dubai from £399, Gatwick to New York from £308, Heathrow to Miami from £339 and Heathrow to San Francisco from £397.

Those looking for far-flung holiday packages (flight + hotel) with British Airways Holidays can enjoy seven-night stays in Orlando from £429pp, the Caribbean from £599pp and the Indian Ocean from £919pp. Those in the market for a mini-break can jet off on three-night trips to Dubai from £439pp or New York from £449pp.  Two-night city breaks to destinations including Rome, Venice and Prague start from just £119pp.

Meanwhile in Europe, seven-night European favourites such as the Algarve are available from just £199pp, Lanzarote from £249pp, Tenerife from £259pp, and Cyprus from £329pp.

Executive Club Members can also now earn double Tier Points on flights taken as part of a package holiday, for travel up to 30 September 2023.

Travellers interested in exploring British Airways’ newest destination, Oranjestad in Aruba, can enjoy seven nights on the Caribbean island from £979pp. Flights begin on 26 March 2023, operating twice weekly from London Gatwick.

British Airways Holidays is also offering customers an additional saving of up to £300 on selected holidays, for a limited period. Those booking between 1 – 6 September 2022 can book a flight + hotel or flight + car holiday and make the following extra savings, on top of the September sale prices:

  • £300 extra discount with a minimum spend of £10,000 per booking (flight + hotel)
  • £200 extra discount with a minimum spend of £5,000 per booking (flight + hotel)
  • £100 extra discount with a minimum spend of £2,500 per booking (flight + hotel & flight + car)
  • £50 extra discount with a minimum spend of £1,250 per booking (flight + hotel & flight + car)
  • £25 extra discount with a min spend of £650 per booking (flight + car)

Claire Bentley, Managing Director of British Airways Holidays, said:

We know that, more than ever, many of our customers are keen to ensure value for money. This sale offers a huge variety of flights and holidays at a wide range of prices, giving plenty of choice for those keen to get away. This is coupled with The British Airways experience, from generous baggage allowances to great quality food and drink on board. British Airways Holidays customers can also benefit from our low deposits and the additional protection that comes with our holiday packages, so they can book with complete peace of mind.

Dave

British Airways announce changes to the ‘Book with confidence’ policy

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British Airways have shared the following announcement regarding the ‘Book with confidence’ policy.

Since its introduction in March 2020, our Book with confidence policy has offered customers the flexibility and peace of mind to change or cancel their travel plans, when it mattered most.

As the world continues to emerge from the pandemic, there are now significantly fewer restrictions impacting travel. And as customer confidence continues to return, it’s clear that the recovery in our industry is now well underway.  

We are writing to inform you of changes to our Book with confidence policy, effective today: 

Bookings ticketed from 00:01 on 08 June 2022 will no longer be covered under this policy and will be governed by the fare rules on the ticket and our standard conditions of carriage; however, should new major travel restrictions be introduced, specific Customer Guidelines will be issued. 

Bookings ticketed from 03 March 2020 up to and including 07 June 2022, for travel completed by 30 September 2022, remain covered under our existing Book with confidence policy, where: 
i) any applicable change fee is waived (fare differential applies), or  
ii) the value of the booking can be held as credit for future travel, providing new travel is completed by 30 September 2023.

Dave

British Airways further expands its US network

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British Airways is ramping up its US route network this summer, taking its direct US routes to London to 26. 

BA 267: Portland, Oregon International Airport welcomes British Airways and the only direct route between London (Heathrow) and Oregon.

Portland, Oregon has become the newest destination on the British Airways route map, providing the city’s only direct route to the UK.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Networks and Alliances said: 

This summer British Airways will be flying from 26 US cities to London and we’re very excited to be adding Portland to our list of transatlantic destinations. Not only are we the only airline to offer direct flights from Portland to London, but this new route also opens a wide variety of connections for our customers. Through Alaska Airlines, our oneworld partner, British Airways will offer codeshare connections to several destinations operated by Alaska Airlines from Portland.

British Airways has also relaunched its direct route from Pittsburgh to London.  It remains the only airline to offer a direct flight from the Pennsylvanian city to London.

The airline will resume a year-round four-per-week service – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

On 6 June, the airline launched a new, daytime flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to London Heathrow – its third daily flight from Newark to London, to support the return of business travel.

The daytime flight will depart at 7.55am from Newark – a convenient option for travellers wishing to spend an extra night in the New York area before departing, or for those who wish to arrive just in time for an evening in London. 

With this additional flight time, British Airways along with its joint business partner, American Airlines will offer ‘the most extensive network from the New York area to London’ with fifteen daily departures this summer, including eleven daily flights from JFK to Heathrow and one daily flight from JFK to Gatwick.

This summer also marks the return of daily direct flights from San Jose, California, to London on 13 June; and the return of A380 aircraft to more North American airports.

Chicago and Vancouver were the latest cities to welcome home the Airbus.

Meanwhile, Dallas Fort Worth is preparing to welcome the A380 for the first time on 1 July. 

The aircraft, which is British Airways’ and the airline industry’s largest, offers a choice of First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins and has a total of 469 seats. 

There are twelve A380s in the British Airways fleet. Image shows a British Airways Airbus flying over the cliffs at Dover, taken by Wing Commander Neil Frazer from the backseat of Red 10, one of the Red Arrows jets flown by Squadron Leader Mike Ling.
Dave

British Airways returns to short-haul European flying from Gatwick

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After two years British Airways returned to international short-haul flying from Gatwick Airport when its first service departed for Larnaca at 6:25am on 29 March.

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic the airline suspended its European operation at Gatwick Airport, moving a number of flights over to Heathrow.

The restart marks a milestone in the airline’s recovery as it finally returns to international short-haul flying from the airport.

Initially services operate under the British Airways Air Operators Certificate, before moving operations to a new British Airways branded subsidiary, BA Euroflyer later in the year. The new airline will operate in a similar manner to the company’s existing subsidiary BA Cityflyer, flying under the British Airways brand and delivering a premium British Airways product.

British Airways crew at London’s Gatwick airport

On the first day of operation, British Airways operated four short-haul flights to Larnaca, Amsterdam, Paphos and Tenerife. In total, customers will have the choice of 35 destinations to fly to from Gatwick, before more destinations are added later this year.

Not only has the British Airways return to Gatwick created more choice for customers, but also helped create jobs as the airline undertook both a cabin crew and pilot recruitment campaign to fill positions at its new subsidiary.

Tom Stoddart, Acting CEO British Airways Euroflyer, said

Today marks a significant milestone for British Airways as we operate our first European services from Gatwick in two years.

I am really proud of what we have created at Gatwick, we have an excellent team with lots of new and exciting talent. I am looking forward in anticipation to see our newest subsidiary grow, adding new routes and providing customers with more options to get away on holiday with a premium British Airways service.”

Millar Smith, British Airways Euroflyer Crew member, said:

I was over the moon when I found out that I had been accepted as crew for British Airways, it is my dream job! Before this I worked as a 999 handler for the London Ambulance Service, which has been incredibly useful throughout my training with the airline. British Airways is a premium British airline and that is what excited me about the job role. My first service will be to Tenerife and I can’t wait!

Customers flying on the airline’s new subsidiary will receive the same high level of service they expect of British Airways as well as enjoying the benefits of travelling with the UK’s flag carrier including a generous baggage allowance, free water and snacks, free seat selection at -24 hours and frequent flyer benefits which include lounge access.

All of the airline’s services will have a Club Europe (business class) cabin setting it apart from its no frills competitors. Customers flying in this cabin will have access to a premium check-in experience, exclusive lounges and a complimentary gourmet meal and bar service on board.

Customers in the airline’s Euro Traveller (economy) cabin will be able to purchase food before travel which will include fresh options from Tom Kerridge as part of the airline’s ‘Speedbird Café’ menu and/or order ambient products and drinks onboard via their mobile phone.

The return of European short-haul flying from Gatwick came a day after the airline returned to its home at Gatwick South Terminal following its reopening.

To mark the occasion the airline also showed off its new dedicated World Traveller Plus check-in zone which is available for customers flying on a long-haul service with the airline.

The new zone which sits alongside the airline’s Club World desks gives those travelling in its World Traveller Plus cabin (premium economy) an exclusive check-in experience.

They will shortly be rolled out at Heathrow, followed by the rest of the British Airways network.

Dave

British Airways to power a number of flights with sustainable aviation fuel as it marks the delivery of its first supply from Phillips 66 Limited

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British Airways has taken delivery of the first batch of sustainable aviation fuel produced by Phillips 66 Limited, making it the first airline in the world to start using SAF produced on a commercial scale in the UK.

Phillips 66 SAF refinery

The Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham is producing thousands of tonnes of SAF that will now help power a number of British Airways flights.

The SAF is produced from sustainable waste feedstock at the refinery and British Airways will add it into the existing pipeline infrastructure that directly feeds several UK airports including London Heathrow.

British Airways and Phillips 66 are both committed to a lower carbon future. The sustainable aviation fuel bought by the airline will be enough to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, enough to power 700 net zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on its fuel-efficient Boeing 787 aircraft.  

Both companies support Government plans for a future SAF mandate and a business model for investing in advanced waste to jet fuel projects through participation in the Department for Transport’s Jet Zero Council Delivery Group.

British Airways also continues to work with Government on ways to provide certainty for investors to help the UK be a leader in SAF production.

The delivery of the first batch of SAF from Phillips 66 Limited is a significant milestone for the airline as it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

International Airlines Group, the airline’s parent company, is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF and British Airways has existing partnerships with several companies to develop plants and purchase the sustainable fuel.

Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive, said:

Being the first airline to source sustainable aviation fuel produced at commercial scale in the UK is another breakthrough moment for us and the airline industry.

Our supplies of SAF from Phillips 66 Limited will allow us to progress with our ambitious roadmap to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner and will play a role in our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group (IAG), to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030.

Progressing the development and commercial scale up of sustainable aviation fuel will be a game changer and crucial to reducing the aviation sector’s reliance on fossil fuels and improving the UK’s energy supply resilience. I’m confident that Britain can take a leading role on the global stage in this space, creating green jobs and export opportunities, if industry, developers and Government continue to collaborate and make it a key focus area.

Darren Cunningham, Lead Executive UK and General Manager Humber Refinery, said:

Phillips 66 Humber Refinery is proud to supply British Airways with sustainable aviation fuel.  We were the first in the UK to co-process waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale. We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start.

The strategic collaboration and supply agreement confirm each companies’ commitment to a lower carbon future.  The production of SAF is just one of a number of decarbonisation projects we are currently progressing, and we are excited by the role that we play in supplying the UK with the fuels it needs, both now and in the future.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps tweeted:

British Airways Speedbird Café menu app

British Airways customers can now also join the airline on its journey to reach net zero by 2050 through its onboard Speedbird Café menu app.

A new category can be found on the BA Better World tab labelled ‘Contribute to Carbon Offsets’, where customers on short-haul European flights can help fund carbon reduction projects around the world.

The £2.50 contribution represents the carbon compensation of an average British Airways European return flight per customer, and the funds are invested in verified CO2 emissions reduction and avoidance projects.

Launching BA Better World in September 2021, British Airways made a commitment to create a better, more sustainable future with a focus on people, planet and responsible business. Today the airline is publishing its latest sustainability report looking back at the milestones and achievements of the last year and has also launched its new sustainability docuseries, with the first video being all about SAF. 

Dave

Oneworld members to purchase up to 200 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel per year from Gevo

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Members of the Oneworld Alliance plan to purchase up to 200 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel per year from Colorado-based renewable fuels producer Gevo, in the second such joint commitment by the global airline alliance in four months.

Delivery of the fuel is expected to commence in 2027, for a five year-term. Oneworld members Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Qatar Airways expect to utilise the sustainable aviation fuel for operations in California including San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles International Airports.

Sustainable aviation fuel is a core pillar in One world’s plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050. In October 2021, the alliance committed to a target of 10% sustainable aviation fuel use across the alliance by 2030. 

Oneworld members are partnering to collectively source sustainable aviation fuel, through the alliance’s Environment and Sustainability Board chaired by IAG Head of Sustainability Jonathon Counsell with representation from all member airlines.

In November 2021, Oneworld announced a joint commitment to purchase more than 350 million gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel from Aemetis for operations at San Francisco – making Oneworld the first global airline alliance to jointly commit to purchasing sustainable aviation fuel.

Gevo’s sustainable aviation fuel is expected to be produced using inedible corn products that will be processed to create ethanol that will then be converted into sustainable aviation fuel.

The sustainable aviation fuel is expected to be produced at three facilities under development in the Midwest of the United States. The entire supply chain will be certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) standard which is widely recognised as the most robust certification scheme for bioenergy.

Sustainable aviation fuel, which is said to produce significantly lower carbon emissions than traditional jet fuel, is an important part of the aviation sector’s path to decarbonisation, in particular on longer-haul flights.

No changes to current aircraft or airport infrastructure are required for operators to utilise sustainable aviation fuel – making it a feasible and immediate solution to reduce carbon emissions.

However, sustainable aviation fuel is not yet available at scale – underlining the importance of joint commitments like that of Oneworld member airlines. Support from other stakeholders, such as government regulations and targeted investments, will further enable the maturity of sustainable aviation fuel production.

Oneworld Chairman and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker said,

As the aviation industry continues to face new challenges, today’s announcement underlines the positive outcome of the multilateral collaboration between industry stakeholders. It reaffirms the leadership of our alliance in supporting the ambitious aviation decarbonisation targets, as well as our active role in driving the use of ICAO recognised SAF at a commercial scale.

Oneworld CEO Rob Gurney said,

Five months ago, we committed as an alliance to a target of 10% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030. Today’s announcement of a second major sustainable aviation fuel offtake among member airlines builds further upon that commitment, while demonstrating the value that can be delivered when our member airlines work together.

Dr. Patrick R. Gruber, Gevo’s Chief Executive Officer said,

When Oneworld member airlines show they understand the importance of reducing fossil-carbon greenhouse gas emissions, they start making real change in the industry.

Eliminating fossil-based emissions from the life-cycle of jet fuel is our mission.

Net-Zero SAF is what we all want.

I’m pleased that Oneworld is on board.

Gevo is focused on sustainability at every stage of production and has developed two alcohol-to-jet pathways that can utilise various feedstocks grown using renewable agricultural and sustainable farming techniques. These feedstocks are then converted, in some cases, to high-value nutrition products and energy-dense liquid hydrocarbons, including sustainable aviation fuel. Gevo’s production processes will incorporate renewable energy, including wind turbines, biogas, and combined heat and power systems to increase efficiency and reduce carbon intensity to net-zero levels, which will then be passed on to the customer through the fuel. This is particularly helpful for airlines seeking to reduce their carbon intensity.