Emirates Advances Green Aviation with SAF at London Heathrow
In a significant step towards sustainable aviation, Emirates has commenced using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its operations at London Heathrow Airport. This initiative aligns with Heathrow's SAF Incentive Programme, focusing on making green fuel more affordable and accessible.
Emirates' introduction of SAF at Heathrow marks an expansion of its ongoing efforts to integrate sustainable fuels across its network. This development involves a collaboration with Shell Aviation, which has facilitated the supply of over 3,000 metric tonnes of SAF for Emirates' flights out of London until the end of summer 2024.
The sustainable fuel provided by Shell will be seamlessly integrated into the existing fueling infrastructure at Heathrow, ensuring that the transition does not disrupt airport operations. Adel Al Redha, Emirates' Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer, highlighted the significance of this move, stating, "This partnership represents a crucial step in our journey towards reducing aviation's carbon footprint, and we are proud to lead by example at one of our most critical hubs."
In addition to reducing environmental impact, this initiative also supports the UK government's ambitious goals for sustainable aviation. By 2040, the UK aims to achieve a 22% utilization rate of SAF for all departing flights, a policy set to start next year.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy by Emirates to promote sustainable travel. The airline has already been utilizing SAF in other major cities such as Amsterdam, Paris, Lyon, and Oslo and plans to extend its use of environmentally friendly fuels across more routes.