The airline said it will use SAF on departing flights from two UK airports in 2024, having announced its use of SAF at Bristol Airport, almost a year ahead of the UK’s Government’s SAF mandate, due to be introduced from 2025.
Jet2.com has purchased approximately 650 tonnes of SAF from Shell Aviation, which will be used to add a 1% SAF blend onto several departing flights from London Stansted Airport.
Across the two airports, this means that Jet2.com has purchased approximately 1,000 tonnes of SAF.
Jet2.com said using a SAF blend in 2024 means that Jet2.com can prepare its operation ahead of the UK SAF mandate, which will be introduced from 1 January 2025. As part of this mandate, fuel suppliers have been set a target that at least 10% of jet fuel should be made from SAF by 2030.
SAF production plant
Jet2 said it has already made an equity investment into a new SAF production plant to be constructed in the Northwest of England. The Fulcrum NorthPoint facility, being developed by Fulcrum BioEnergy, will operate as a Waste-to-Fuels plant, with Jet2.com set to receive more than 200 million litres of SAF once operational.
The plant will be said to generate up to 1,500 jobs.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “We see SAF as critical in helping the industry decarbonise and as well as doing this, we can use this to ensure our operations are ready for SAF uptake both now and in the future, when we anticipate its use will grow materially. We very much see 1% as the starting point and we want to grow this over the coming years.”
He added: “Unfortunately, there is still some way to go and without more supplies of UK SAF and greater support to incentivise its uptake and reduce its cost, our industry and UK holidaymakers are at a disadvantage.
“The UK government must implement the price revenue mechanism earlier than the current timeline of 2026, which means we can secure investor confidence, build the UK SAF plants that we need, and turbocharge the UK SAF industry.”
Neil Robinson, MAG CSR and Future Airspace director, said: “Our focus at London Stansted is to continue driving forward on our commitment to reach net zero carbon operations by 2038, and supporting the development of more sustainable aviation fuel to help aviation reach net zero by 2050.
“Jet2.com’s introduction of SAF at Stansted is another positive development in driving down carbon emissions and we look forward to working with them to build on this great start.”
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