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Cebu Pacific operated Flight 5J 5055 from Narita to Manila powered by sustainable aviation fuel on October 25
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This makes the airline the first Philippine carrier to use SAF in a commercial flight from Japan
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The SAF flight was operated with an Airbus 321neo that used 40% blended SAF, resulting in a 44% reduction in carbon emissions per passenger, setting a new record for CEB’s SAF-powered flights
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CEB said government support is needed to encourage airlines to adopt SAF, which currently comes at a high price
Cebu Pacific (CEB) operated Flight 5J 5055 from Narita to Manila powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on October 25, making it the first Philippine carrier to use SAF in a commercial flight from Japan.
The SAF flight was operated with an Airbus 321neo, using 40% blended SAF produced by Neste Corporation and supplied by Itochu Corporation. The combination resulted in a 44% reduction in carbon emissions per passenger, setting a new record for CEB’s SAF-powered flights, the airline said.
“As we await sufficient SAF supply to meet the demand of the entire aviation industry, this inaugural Narita to Manila SAF flight represents Cebu Pacific’s ongoing efforts toward making air travel more sustainable.
Other decarbonization programs that we have put in place include investing in fuel-efficient NEOs, optimization of flight plans, and adoption of fuel efficiency best practices to minimize fuel consumption. All these are concrete sustainability initiatives that bolster our commitment and support for the aviation industry’s goal of flying net-zero by 2050,” said Alexander Lao, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Cebu Pacific.
Itochu, which acts as the branded distributor of SAF in Japan, lauded the collaboration.
“We look forward to partnering with Cebu Pacific as we strive towards sustainable aviation. Our collaboration underscores the growing demand for SAF in the Asia-Pacific region and we are ready to meet that need,” said Atsushi Onishi, Senior Officer of Itochu’s Energy Division.
The initiative was welcomed by Narita International Airport. “We are honored that Cebu Pacific has chosen Narita International Airport for this initiative. Being one of the select airlines to mount SAF flights in Japan, Cebu Pacific’s commitment to sustainability is commendable,” said Toshio Tashiro, executive officer of Narita International Airport.
Prior to the commercial flight, CEB signed a strategic partnership with Neste to work towards establishing a long-term supply of SAF across the Asia-Pacific. The initiative aligns with the airline’s sustainability goal to gradually integrate SAF into its operations, thereby reducing its carbon emissions footprint and promoting environmental consciousness.
RELATED READ: Cebu Pacific eyes purchase of sustainable aviation fuel from Neste
CEB operated its first passenger flight powered by SAF in September 2022 from Singapore to Manila, making it the first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia to incorporate SAF in its commercial operation. The airline aims to integrate blended SAF for its entire commercial network by 2030.
Government support
Meanwhile, CEB said government support is needed to encourage airlines to adopt SAF.
Lao emphasized the hurdles in SAF adoption, pointing out its prohibitive cost, especially for long-haul flights.
“It is anywhere between three and five times more than the current price of normal jet fuel. I think we’re still at the very early stage where supply is quite minimal,” Lao said.
“We do expect that should supply come up, prices of SAF will come down eventually,” he added, when asked how the budget airline intends to maintain affordable fares despite the elevated cost of SAF.
