Hungarian low-fares airline Wizz Air will undertake Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) powered trial flights, later this year in conjunction with planemaker Airbus.
Wizz is targeting 10% of its flights being powered by SAF by 2030.
Wizz will trial an SAF blend fuel on flights from Barcelona to Budapest and from Brussels-Charleroi to Budapest towards the end of the year. The fuel will be provided by Spanish energy giant Cepsa.
“Through this project, we are not only testing SAF operations but also gathering insights from our passengers on their awareness of levers to decarbonise aviation. Our valued passengers are key stakeholders in the value chain, and their feedback will play a crucial role in shaping our future sustainability initiatives,” said Wizz Air Corporate and ESG Officer Yvonne Moynihan.
“This cross-industry collaboration with Airbus is a demonstration of the commitment of the aviation community to reduce emissions intensity,” said Ms Moynihan.
“It’s crucial for all actors in the aviation ecosystem to play their part and join forces to reach the industry goal of net zero by 2050. SAF is a key enabler…” she added.
Airbus will support Wizz in the trials with technical guidance and the use of its fuel-efficient A321neo jets.
“At Airbus, we are committed to driving the adoption of SAF as an essential element of our decarbonisation strategy,” said Julie Kitcher, Airbus’ Chief Sustainability Officer and Communications.
“Fuel-efficient aircraft and SAF will provide the majority of the emissions reductions our industry needs to make by 2050, which is why working together – with partners like Wizz Air – to efficiently integrate SAF across airline operations is such an important step to be taking today.”
