On Thursday, May 25, Kenya Airways successfully undertook the first long-haul commercial flight from Africa to Europe using sustainable aviation fuel produced by Italian oil and gas company Eni, reports airspace-africa.com.
The Boeing 787-800b Dreamliner departed on the ground-breaking flight from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for Schiphol, fuelled by a blend of JetA1 fuel and Eni Sustainable Mobility’s SAF. The flight was part of the second Sustainable Flight Challenge organised by airline alliance SkyTeam that aims to boost innovation with new practices in environmental sustainability.
The airline is the first to use SAF supplied by Eni for a long-haul flight. JetA1 was mixed with Eni Biojet produced by distilling bio-components. Eni Biojet contains 100% biogenic component, suitable for use in a mixture with conventional jet fuel (Jet A1) up to 50%. Kenyan aviation fuel provider Flamex Petroleum worked with Kenya Airways on the blending of the fuel for the flight.
To achieve the highest level of sustainability, the airline took additional measures incorporating passengers’ route planning, onboard meals, packaging, transportation and gifts.
Kenya Airways Group MD and CEO, Allan Kilavuka, said: “We are focusing on decarbonising the aerospace industry by adopting fleet types with reduced carbon emissions, optimising fuel consumption through efficient routing, managing waste through recycling, and harnessing alternative energy sources such as solar power and sustainable aviation fuel.”
Kilavuka stressed the need within the aviation ecosystem for proactive measures and the adoption of best practices to contribute to a sustainable future.
According to agenzianova.com, the airline is working towards attaining the 2025 requirement for all flights departing European airports to have a SAF quota. Eni is developing a supply chain in Kenya for the collection of exhausted cooking oils and has a network of agri-hubs in the country to produce vegetable oils for alternative fuel.
