Virgin Atlantic has successfully completed a transatlantic flight powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), marking a significant milestone in the aviation industry's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. The flight, dubbed 'Flight100', took off from London's Heathrow Airport and landed at JFK Airport in New York. The initiative was a collaborative effort involving Virgin Atlantic, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and four other companies and universities. The Department for Transport provided £1 million in funding, which Virgin matched.
The flight incorporated fuel-saving measures, saving an estimated 3,242kg of fuel, equivalent to over 10,000kg of CO2. However, it's important to note that the flight carried only a few passengers, including Virgin's billionaire founder, Richard Branson. The return journey to London was planned to use conventional jet fuel.
Despite the successful flight, SAF currently accounts for less than 0.1% of total global jet fuel in use today and costs about three to five times as much as regular jet fuel. This raises questions about the scalability and economic viability of SAF in the near term. The flight was also criticized by environmental advocacy group Stay Grounded, who labeled it a 'greenwashing distraction'.
The successful flight has sparked discussions about the potential for such sustainable aviation practices to be implemented in other countries, including Australia. Warren Flentje, the industrial decarbonisation lead at the CSIRO's Towards Net Zero Mission, was among the commentators discussing the potential implications of the flight.