-
Cebu Pacific made history on September 28 by operating its first commercial passenger flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Singapore to Manila
-
The flight, an Airbus A321neo, used 35% blended SAF produced by oil refining and marketing company Neste and supplied by Shell Eastern Petroleum
-
As part of Cebu Pacific’s sustainability efforts, it aims to transition to an all-NEO fleet by 2028 and incorporate the use of blended SAF for its entire commercial network by 2030
Cebu Pacific operated its first flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on September 28, becoming the first Philippine carrier to use SAF in its commercial operations.
The low-cost carrier flew its maiden SAF flight from Singapore to Manila with an Airbus A321neo that used 35% blended SAF produced by oil refining and marketing company Neste and supplied by Shell Eastern Petroleum.
“SAF will help the aviation industry reduce its carbon emissions,” Cebu Pacific chief strategy officer Alex Reyes said in a statement.
“We encourage more producers to increase the supply of SAF in the region. Our first passenger flight using SAF is a culmination of months of cooperation with valued partners and is an important component of our sustainability program,” Reyes added.
The send-off event at Singapore Changi International Airport Terminal 4 was marked with Filipino festivities to showcase Philippine culture and celebrate an important milestone in Cebu Pacific’s history.
“We applaud Cebu Pacific for taking the first step on their SAF journey and are honored that they have chosen to do so from Changi Airport,” said Yeo Kia Thye, CAG airport operations planning and airside managing director.
“Changi Airport Group looks forward to supporting more airlines on their SAF journey, to power sustainable air travel together.”
A day before the commercial flight, Cebu Pacific signed a long-term strategic partnership with Shell Eastern Petroleum to make SAF more widely available, demonstrating both parties’ commitment to decarbonization and sustainability.
Their memorandum of understanding (MOU) explores the supply and purchase of SAF in Asia Pacific and the Middle East, with an initial supply volume of at least 25 kilotons per year.
“We are excited to work with Cebu Pacific in this five-year collaboration as we both believe that SAF is the best option available now for aviation to decarbonize by 2050. This agreement is testimony to the growing demand in the Asia-Pacific region and we are ready to meet that need,” said Jan Toschka, president of Shell Aviation.
SAF is a “drop-in” replacement for fossil fuels made up of 100% renewable waste and raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. SAF use results in up to 80% reduction in carbon emissions over the fuel’s life cycle.
The chemical and physical characteristics of SAF are almost identical to those of conventional jet fuel, and these can be mixed safely with regular jet fuel to varying degrees. SAF does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not have any negative impact on performance or maintenance.
Cebu Pacific used SAF for the first time in May on a delivery flight of a brand new A330neo from France to the Philippines. In line with its sustainability initiatives, blended SAF will be part of the standard procedures in all future Airbus NEO deliveries.
For the maiden SAF flight, Cebu Pacific used its A321neo, which belongs to the A320neo family. It offers the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky and incorporates the latest technologies, including new-generation engines and sharklets, delivering a 20% reduction in fuel consumption per seat, compared with previous generation A320 aircraft.
As with all in-production aircraft, the A320neo family is certified to operate with a 50% SAF blend and Airbus is committed to enabling the use of up to 100% SAF by 2030.
Cebu Pacific will take delivery of one more A33Oneo in November and one A320neo aircraft in December. As part of the airline’s sustainability efforts, it aims to transition to an all-NEO fleet by 2028 and incorporate the use of blended SAF for its entire commercial network by 2030.
The airline’s sustainability goal is aligned with global aviation’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
