Malaysia Airlines has operated a flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the first time.
The Malaysian flag carrier’s Airbus 330-200 flew from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to its hub in Kuala Lumpur using a blend of approximately 38% SAF – made from substances such as used cooking oil – and conventional jet fuel.
The flight followed a supply deal including Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas, its trading arm Petco, and renewable diesel and SAF producer Neste.
Malaysia Airlines has committed to use SAFs for regular flights by 2025 and recognises the fuels as the most feasible option to reduce aviation emissions in the near term.
Neste MY Sustainable Aviation FuelTM is produced from ‘sustainably-sourced, 100% renewable waste and residue raw materials’, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. In its neat form, and over the life cycle, the firm claims the fuel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil jet fuel.
Malaysia Airlines via its parent, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), recently partnered with Petronas’ marketing firm Petronas Dagangan Berhad (PDB) to jointly explore the supply and adoption of SAF at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. They also aim to “strengthen awareness in aviation sustainability through a united communication and advocacy strategy around carbon emission reduction”.
Data logged during the flight will be processed and analysed to help the airline’s operations team better understand the opportunities to operate a more sustainable flight.
Izham Ismail, group chief executive officer of MAG, said: “Building on the momentum from our Net Zero Emissions commitment earlier this year, we are proud to have crossed the significant landmark of operating the first Malaysian flight using sustainable aviation fuel.
“Moving forward, we expect SAF to be a key component of our strategy to deliver a more sustainable travel experience for our customers. With the completion of today’s significant first step, we are committed to working towards having a viable SAF supply chain here in Malaysia, and we believe the only way we could reach this goal is through strategic collaboration and support from our stakeholders.”
Azrul Osman Rani, PDB’s managing director and chief executive, said: “Today marks a significant milestone in our partnership of more than two decades with Malaysia Airlines.
“In line with Petronias’ Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050 aspiration and our continued efforts to make sustainable energy more accessible, we have been providing cleaner energy solutions including EV chargers, liquefied natural gas (LNG), solar solutions and other renewable energy to support our partners and customers in achieving their emissions reduction ambitions.
“With SAF now proven to be a feasible alternative for commercial flights, we are excited to continue making headways in this decarbonisation journey.”
Thorsten Lange, executive vice president renewable aviation at Neste, commented: “Neste is committed to helping aviation with its emission reduction targets and we’re delighted to cooperate with Malaysia Airlines and Petronas to complete their first SAF powered flight.
“Neste’s SAF provides immediate emission reductions and is already available today, playing a pivotal role in decarbonising the aviation industry. We continue to scale up our operations and will have the capacity to produce some 1.5 million tons of SAF annually by the end of 2023.”