BUSINESS NEWS


BA’s Heathrow-New York restart flight takes off on Monday. The carrier says the flight was 35% powered by SAF but the Aviation Environment Federation describes waste-based fuels as a ‘dead end for aviation decarbonisation’


BA returns to New York but fuel claims disputed


Aviation body questions merits of sustainable aviation fuel. Ian Taylor reports


British Airways operated its first flight to New York as the US reopened on Monday powered by 35% sustainable aviation fuel, the highest proportion of SAF yet used for a commercial transatlantic flight. BA argued the fuel, made from


used cooking oil and mixed with 65% kerosene, “reduces lifecycle CO2 emissions by more than 80% compared to the traditional jet fuel it replaces”. The flight operated as the Cop26


climate conference continued in Glasgow and after BA parent IAG


80 11 NOVEMBER 2021


recently committed to operating 10% of flights using SAF by 2030. However, the Aviation Environment


Federation (AEF), disputed the 80% emissions reduction claim, insisting: “Waste-based fuels are a dead end when it comes to aviation decarbonisation.” The AEF said: “At best, waste-based


fuels offer a ‘net’ not an ‘actual’ emissions reduction. At least as much CO2 is emitted when they are burned as from kerosene, so any emissions saving comes from the assumption that CO2 has been absorbed historically by the organic matter in


the waste. Using waste fuels does not cut CO2 emissions now.” It added: “Many claims of big


emissions savings from these fuels arise from assumptions that they avoid the release of methane generated by food waste in landfill. But converting these wastes into aviation fuel isn’t a net-zero strategy given the CO2 it releases. This isn’t a scalable solution for powering aviation.” AEF is a UK-based NGO whose


Continued on page 78 travelweekly.co.uk


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PICTURE: Doug Peters/PA Wire


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