easyJet and Airbus partner to improve SAF affordability

As well as this, the trial will help organisations address the carbon footprint of their business travel and meet their sustainability targets and regulatory requirements.

Under the scheme, easyJet will work with corporate partners to determine a specific quantity of SAF to cover their travel requirements. Once it has pooled demand, it will buy the SAF from a fuel supplier at a better price due to the benefits of bulk buying.

The SAF is delivered to the airport and then the corporate partner will be issued with a non-tradeable SAF certificates, verified by a third party.

The partner is then able to register the SAF certificate as part of its Scope 3 reporting.

As part of the trial with Airbus, 106 tonnes of neat SAF has been purchased, which is the equivalent to the amount of fuel needed to operate easyJet’s flights between Toulouse and Bristol with 30% SAF blend over a three-month period. The route has been chosen as it is commonly used by Airbus employees.

The SAF will be produced from biomass feedstock, such as used cooking oil.

The current production rate of SAF stands at just 3% of the total fuel required for the industry and is said to cost three to five times more than conventional jet fuel.

‘Close the price gap’

Julien Manhes, Airbus head of sustainable aviation fuels and carbon dioxide removal, said: “Today, SAF is available in small quantities, so we need to upscale the supply and close the price gap with traditional fuel. One of the ways to do that is to create a clear demand signal for the market.

“In 2023, 600 million litres of SAF was produced around the world and every single drop of that was consumed. This trial is about building a resilient SAF economy because we have the technology, we have the aircraft, we just need more SAF.”

Thomas Haagensen, group markets director at easyJet, said: “Business travellers make up around 14% of our customer base, relying on airlines to travel efficiently. Our corporate partners are always looking to reduce the impact of their flying and this model will help both with their carbon emissions reporting while stimulating growth of the SAF industry which will be critical to achieving the industry’s net zero ambitions.”