First UK biofuel flight to take off this month
Thomson Airways will operate the UK’s first sustainable biofuel flight at the end of this month from Birmingham to Padua, subject to safety checks.
The airline says it has invested heavily in sustainable aviation and is calling on the Government to develop a system that allows more use of sustainable fuel, saying this will help politicians meet the recently announced carbon budget committing the UK to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2025.
But the TUI Travel carrier says the airline industry cannot support the current prices of biofuels over regular jet fuel and calls on the government to incentivise airlines to use it.
Thomson Airways managing director Chris Browne said: “Sustainability is key to this investment. Sustainable biofuels offer us the opportunity to improve our own individual environmental performance as well as contributing to the UK’s carbon reduction target.
“We urge UK and EU governments to use this opportunity to review the legislation and remove the barriers around sustainable biofuels so that other airlines can follow our lead.â€
Aviation minister Theresa Villiers added: “I very much welcome Thomson Airways’ announcement and wish them well with this project. The Government believes that sustainable biofuels have a role to play in efforts to tackle climate change, particularly in sectors where no other viable low carbon energy source has been identified – as is the case with aviation.
 “We want aviation to flourish and grow but we have also been clear that the environmental impacts of flying must be addressed. I welcome the efforts being made by the UK aviation and aerospace industries to drive forward the technological change we need to tackle this challenge effectively.â€
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by Dinah Hatch
Dinah
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