Etihad Airways operates first biofuel-powered delivery flight

The Philippine Star
January 30, 2012

MANILA, Philippines - Etihad Airways’ flight from Seattle to Abu Dhabi – the delivery flight of the airline’s newest Boeing 777-300ER that arrived on Jan. 24 – was the first in the Gulf to be operated using sustainable biofuel.

 The 14-hour delivery flight of the airline’s newest and most efficient long haul aircraft was operated using a combination of traditional jet fuel and plant-based jet fuel, which is fully certified for use as commercial jet fuel.

 James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer, said: “This flight marks a significant milestone in our efforts to  support and drive the commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel in Abu Dhabi, the region, and globally.

 “However, the use of a presently available biofuel is just one part of a more comprehensive long-term biofuel strategy to ensure that we are able to use biofuels to decarbonise substantially an entire industry sector in the long term,” he said.

 SkyNRG, an Amsterdam-based sustainable jet fuel provider, supplied the fuel, which is based on recycled vegetable cooking oil. As a plant-based source that has been used already for cooking purposes, it qualifies as a bio-based waste stream with a high sustainability value.

Dirk Kronemeijer, SkyNRG’s managing director, said: “We think the Middle East has great potential to give a critical boost toward making a market for sustainable jet fuel that is affordable.  With this flight Etihad Airways has taken a fantastic step, particularly in increasing awareness within the region.