Emirates to power London Heathrow flights by SAF

The delivery, consisting of over 3,000 metric tonnes of neat SAF blended with conventional jet fuel, is set to be supplied into the airport’s fuel infrastructure network until the end of summer 2024.

The airline has said this first time it will be using SAF to power some of its flights at London Heathrow and represents the largest volume of SAF it has purchased to date.

It has also reported it will be participating in London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive Programme which it said ensures the “affordability and accessibility” of SAF for airlines operating at the airport.

It will track and trace the delivery of SAF, along with its sustainability attributes, through reporting methodologies.

‘Eager’

Adel Al Redha, deputy president and chief operations officer at Emirates Airline, said: “Emirates is eager to take this next step in our SAF journey with Shell Aviation and London Heathrow supporting us with this fuel supply arrangement in one of our biggest operations outside of Dubai. The LHR Incentive Programme will support the SAF market’s increasing momentum, allowing airlines like Emirates to take advantage of its availability and make it more commercially viable.”

‘Thrilled’

Ross Baker, chief commercial officer at Heathrow, said: “We are thrilled to support Emirates with Heathrow’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) scheme. SAF is crucial to decarbonising long haul flights as it can cut the carbon on routes like London to Dubai without the need for new aircraft or infrastructure. Thanks to commitments from airlines like Emirates, we expect to support the use of up to 155,000 tonnes of SAF at Heathrow this year. Now we need to ramp up SAF production in the UK so the country can benefit from jobs, growth and energy security as more airlines make the switch to more sustainable fuels.”

Incentive

London Heathrow’s SAF Incentive, launched in 2022, aims to bridge the price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF, fostering investment in clean energy like SAF production.

With operations dating back to 1987, Emirates currently serves seven gateways in the UK.