HONG KONG, 12 July 2023: Cathay Pacific progresses towards using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for a targetted 10% of its 2030 fuel consumption by uplifting SAF to commercial flights for the first time outside its Hong Kong hub.
Blended and supplied by ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, the batch of SAF was used to refuel four CX cargo aircraft at Singapore Changi Airport – CX2076 to Hong Kong on 7, 14 and 28 June, and CX2074 to Penang on 30 June.
This follows the use of blended SAF uplifted at Hong Kong International Airport to selected flights last year and on the delivery flights for its new Airbus A350 from Europe over the past six years.
Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam said: “This is an important milestone for Cathay Pacific and our ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. As an international airline, we have a leading role in helping the aviation industry to decarbonise. We constantly explore solutions and advocate for extensive collaboration with many stakeholders to combat climate change.
“We firmly believe that SAF will be the primary lever by which the aviation industry achieves net-zero carbon emissions. By expanding the uplift of blended SAF onto selected commercial flights at Changi Airport and our home hub, we hope to strengthen SAF awareness across the Asia Pacific region and signal to the supply chain that there is firm demand for SAF from airlines.”
This neat SAF was created from 100% used cooking oil and meets International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) EU standards. On a lifecycle basis, it can reduce GHG emissions by nearly 90% compared to conventional jet fuel[1], providing a lower GHG emissions air travel and air cargo solution.
The airline launched the Cathay Pacific Corporate SAF Programme in 2022, the first major programme in Asia, with eight corporates as launch customers. It allows corporate customers to reduce their carbon footprint from business travel or airfreight by contributing to the use of SAF. Cathay Pacific plans to bring more corporate customers to the programme in 2023.
