IAG Cargo flights use sustainable aviation fuel on charter flights

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of the International Airlines Group, completed its first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) charter chain of 16 flights from Stuttgart to Atlanta last week.

Working with their partner Kuehne+Nagel, IAG Cargo sourced 1.2 million litres of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Neste. This collaboration is believed to mark the first time that passenger-freighter charter flights are operated with net-zero carbon emissions.

The last of the British Airways B787-900 flights left Stuttgart on June 26, collecting on average 45 tonnes of automotive spares and other industrial goods destined for Atlanta via London Heathrow. The business has now completed over 300 automotive charters since it began its charter service last year.

The SAF was provided by Neste, the world’s leading provider of sustainable aviation fuel. Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel is made from sustainably sourced, renewable waste and residue raw materials.

In its neat form and over the life cycle, its use can reportedly reduce up to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil jet fuel use.

The SAF was blended with fossil jet fuel to comply with aviation fuel certification standards, shipped to the UK from Europe and then transported by underground pipelines into Heathrow.

John Cheetham, chief commercial officer at IAG Cargo commented: “International Airlines Group was the first European airline group to commit to powering 10 per cent of its flights with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.

“These charters mark IAG Cargo’s first step on that journey – I’m incredibly proud of our commitment to long-term sustainability, helping to reduce carbon footprint overall.

“We are constantly looking at ways which reduce our impact on the environment whilst improving our customer offering and we were delighted to support Kuehne+Nagel with sourcing Neste-produced SAF to power these landmark charters, the first of many.”

Jonathan Wood, vice president for Europe, renewable aviation at Neste, noted: “Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel provides immediate emission reductions and is already available today, playing a pivotal role in decarbonising the aviation industry.

“We continue to scale up our operations and will have the capacity to produce some 1.5 million tons of SAF annually by the end of 2023.”

Neste aims to work with customers to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030.

SAF is currently the most effective measure to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of shipping. In contrast to fossil fuels, which are exhaustible resources and release additional CO2 emissions, SAF is produced from renewable raw materials, such as biomass or waste and residues, enabling significantly reduced emissions.