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Greener, cleaner jet fuel has become a hot commodity at Heathrow as the airport embarks on the second year of its Sustainable Aviation Fuel incentive scheme.In 2022 Heathrow launched a world first – an airport SAF incentive programme which aimed to cover up to 50% of the extra cost, making the fuel more affordable for airlines to use. With last year’s scheme oversubscribed, Heathrow is now aiming to triple the percentage used in 2023 to approximately 1.5%, putting the airport on course to be one the world’s largest users of SAF this year. Participants of the scheme include IAG, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, Air France, KLM and JetBlue.
SAF is a proven technology that reduces carbon emissions by up to 70% compared with traditional jet fuel. It can be made from a variety of sources, including waste, animal fat and cooking oil. SAF can work in existing aircraft without the need for technical modifications, and with advancements in aircraft technology like electric or hydrogen-powered flight still some way from commercial implementation, SAF is the key to unlocking material reductions in carbon today.As a global SAF leader, Heathrow is committed to progressively increasing the SAF used each year, with the airport targeting 11% SAF usage by 2030. This year alone the SAF incentive is expected to save over 81,000 tonnes of CO2 and with a proven track record of success, Heathrow’s incentive scheme can now serve as blueprint for other airports to follow suit and introduce SAF into their own operations.
Heathrow’s innovative SAF programme marks the next step in the airport and the UK aviation sector’s plan for net zero flying, but the airport recognises that the sector could move more quickly and cut carbon faster if Government injected pace into the expansion of SAF with supportive policy making. High costs and low production volumes mean it remains in short supply with few able to access it at commercially viable rates.
The appetite to invest is there, but investors want certainty in the longer-term use of this technology before pouring in their capital. The US have acted directly to shore up SAF’s economic and Net Zero impact: the Inflation Reduction Act – which includes a tax credit scheme designed to lure SAF investors to America – is leaving the UK at risk of missing out on the multi-billion-pound industry. Government must act now to support a SAF industry for the UK, which learns from but does not seek to replicate the US system. This can be achieved by introducing a “contracts for difference” price support mechanism –which would help to cut the price premium between SAF and fossil fuel and was successfully used to boost technologies in the UK like solar and wind.Government must also act swiftly by committing into legislation a 10% mandate for SAF use by 2030 this year, before the impetus and the value is lost. Delay could mean that the UK SAF industry suffers and cannot keep up internationally. By delivering both, the UK will see an immediate and tangible impact – with investment, jobs and skills seen right across the UK.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said: “Sustainable aviation fuel is not just about protecting the benefits of aviation in a net zero world – it’s about economic opportunity, creating jobs here in the UK and securing the country’s future energy supplies. Heathrow has led the way on decarbonising aviation by incentivising airlines to use SAF, and Team Heathrow is now probably the biggest user of SAF in the world. But it is currently all imported.  If Britain really wants to compete with the scale of ambition and the credible action seen from the US and Europe, supportive Government policy is needed and it is needed now.”ADVERTISEMENT

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All Nippon Airways (ANA) is taking a significant step through an extended partnership with Amadeus. The renewed deal will continue to see the Amadeus Altéa Passenger Service System (PSS) support all ANA international flights across reservation, inventory, ticketing, and departure control.In addition, ANA will also be implementing new digital, pricing and payment capabilities.  This partnership will bring flexibility and personalization capabilities to the airline, allowing it to provide a seamless experience for its customers.
As a significant extension of the partnership, all ANA domestic flights will also be migrating onto Altéa, including the domestic airlines currently hosted on ANA’s in-house PSS system. Amadeus’ technology will bring ANA and these airlines onto a single platform, enabling the airline to decommission its in-house PSS system by 2026.
With the Altéa Passenger Service System being the key touchpoint for ANA’s domestic and international flights operations, ANA will be able to optimize its existing and future operations, allowing the airline to achieve a higher level of customer experience management, and embrace the next phase of travel demand.
“For the past 34 years, we have had separate passenger systems for international and domestic flights.　We’ve already seen the benefits of Amadeus Altéa PSS with our international business, and we’re excited to bring our domestic flight operations onto the Amadeus system. This one, integrated platform will deliver benefits to ANA and our passengers. For example, together with the new solutions we’re adding in, we have a new infrastructure for selling. This agreement is a step-change for us in our digital transformation journey to further improve our operational efficiency. We are confident the strengthened partnership with Amadeus will improve our customers’ experience” says Sammy Aramaki, Chief Innovation Officer, ANA.“ANA and Amadeus have a long-standing relationship and we are excited to further strengthen and expand our partnership. We believe this agreement is a further step towards modern airline retailing and an example of the collaborative approach we at Amadeus take with our customers. ANA is renowned globally for its attention to detail and quality, and it is a privilege for us to collaborate with the airline to create memorable travel experiences for its passengers” says Javier Laforgue, Executive Vice President, Travel Unit & Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Amadeus.
As a part of the wider Altéa global community, ANA will be able to offer passengers an improved customer experience. Travelers will be able to enjoy a more flexible and personalized experience from booking to boarding. Tangible benefits include faster check-in and the consistent and automated application of their preferences at every touch point during their journey.ADVERTISEMENT

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ZeroAvia, the leader in developing zero-emission solutions for commercial aviation, today announced signing a collaboration agreement with Shell, Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Rotterdam the Hague Innovation Airport.The parties will develop a concept of operations for hydrogen in airports and demonstration flights to European destinations by the end of 2024, gearing up for commercial passenger flights by 2025.Following up on the cooperation commitment announced last year to launch the first hydrogen-electric commercial flight, this specific collaboration will focus on serving the first hydrogen flight from Rotterdam, including operation at the airport, developing on-the-ground infrastructure and operations to satisfactorily pilot distribution, storage, and dispensing of hydrogen for aviation, leading towards decarbonizing the whole airport ecosystem.
Ultimately, the project targets supporting aircraft operations using gaseous hydrogen to fuel ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric, zero-emission ZA600 engines. For these specific demonstration flights the parties aim to establish routes to airports in Europe within 250 nautical mile radius of Rotterdam. Last month, ZeroAvia demonstrated a first flight of a 19-seat aircraft powered by its prototype ZA600 engine.
This project will also target the development of aviation specific standards and protocols around safety, refueling and hydrogen management, enabling rollout of the promising fuel seamlessly. The parties will work together in discussions with potential airline operators for the initial demonstration and subsequent commercial flights.
Shell brings critical experiences and technical capabilities to the project. This is expertise related to hydrogen end-to-end supply chains and global experiences in design and operation of refueling equipment, including hydrogen. Shell invests in hydrogen production projects with the aim to develop regional and international hydrogen economies. In its decarbonization efforts Shell collaborates with airports to develop fit-for-future infrastructure that will allow it to supply customers with sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen and electric planes charging, so called “multi-modular” infrastructure.
Arnab Chatterjee, VP, Infrastructure, ZeroAvia, said: “Having this consortium, including Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport and Shell, moves the ball a significant distance down the field towards our goal line of commercial operations. Some first passengers on zero-emission flights in the world could be flying from Rotterdam. There is still a lot of work to do, but with clear milestones and targets identified, the hard work really starts now towards delivering the infrastructure and exploring the protocols and standards required.”ADVERTISEMENTOliver Bishop, General Manager Hydrogen at Shell, said: “This project and collaboration is a milestone as it enables a rapid decarbonization of a hard-to-electrify sector such as aviation. It also offers the chance to support one of the first international zero-emission passenger routes. On top of that, it allows the opportunity to road test multi-fuel and multimodal fueling operations in a live airport environment. This is a big step forward for hydrogen aviation and for Shell’s plans in this space.”
Wilma Van Dijk, CEO, Rotterdam The Hague Airport of Royal Schiphol Group, said: ” Hydrogen is key to decarbonize aviation. This collaboration helps us demonstrate and validate new airport infrastructure requirements as well as concepts of operation. And hence accelerate and stimulate airport transformation towards Zero-Emission.”
ZeroAvia has previously partnered with Shell for the provision of low carbon-intensity hydrogen to power some of its testing and early commercial operations in California. The multinational energy company also invested in ZeroAvia last year.
Miranda Janse, CEO Rotterdam the Hague Innovation Airport, said: “As a foundation supported by Rotterdam The Hague airport and Municipality of Rotterdam, RHIA is always keen to drive innovation and sustainable aviation developments at RTHA together with and for a network of partners. RHIA is actively working with partners within its DutcH2 Aviation Hub program to develop hydrogen-driven flights from RTHA. This collaboration is one of the projects within the program that helps us create the open-access infrastructure required for the sector. RHIA is happy to help facilitate this specific partnership and bring the project to life as well as creating the foundation for the partners within the community.”
ZeroAvia’s testing of the ZA600 powertrain in flight is part of HyFlyer II, an R&D project supported in part by the UK Government’s ATI programme. The project has also seen the further development of ZeroAvia’s Hydrogen Airport Refuelling Ecosystem (HARE) demonstrator alongside project partner EMEC, and separately ZeroAvia has developed a hydrogen refuelling pipeline at Cotswold Airport.

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Boom Supersonic, the company building the world’s fastest airliner, kicked off construction of its Overture Superfactory today in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Overture Superfactory is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located on a 62-acre campus at the Piedmont Triad International Airport. This site will house the final assembly line, as well as test facility, and customer delivery center for Boom’s flagship supersonic airliner, Overture.“Today’s groundbreaking for the Overture Superfactory represents a significant step forward in building sustainable and accessible supersonic travel for the world,” said Kathy Savitt, President of Boom Supersonic. “This milestone is a shared one and we are deeply appreciative of the input, leadership, and support of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority, local community, and the state of North Carolina.”
By 2032, Boom will hire more than 2,400 workers at the Superfactory, and recruiting is already underway. North Carolina economists estimate that the full Boom manufacturing program will grow the state’s economy by at least $32.3 billion over 20 years. In addition to Boom’s job creation in the state, the company is creating over 200 internships for students in North Carolina public universities, community colleges, and trade schools to build the next generation of supersonic workers.
“Building on our legacy of ‘First in Flight,’ North Carolina is ready to partner with Boom Supersonic in leading the way to a fast and clean aviation future,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said. “Our economy is taking flight with a talented workforce and strong infrastructure ready for these new, good-paying jobs in innovation and aerospace.”
Boom selected North Carolina as the site for Overture aircraft manufacturing because of its large skilled talent pool, access to exceptional universities, community colleges, and technical schools, proximity to the Eastern Seaboard for supersonic flight testing over water and close proximity to several top-tier aerospace suppliers. North Carolina’s aerospace manufacturing sector has grown three-times faster than the national average over the past few years.
“It’s an exciting time to live in North Carolina and see the influx of innovative companies establish roots in our state. The high-paying and skilled jobs that Boom Supersonic will create will make a significant economic impact in the Triad and across the entire state,” said North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger.ADVERTISEMENT“Boom Supersonic continues to deliver on its commitments and is growing its presence in North Carolina, building excitement in the community,” said Paul Mengert, Chair of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority. “On behalf of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority and our board members, we congratulate Boom on this milestone for Overture.”
Throughout this year, Boom will focus on construction of the Overture Superfactory with BE&K Building Group and their design partner, BRPH. The building will be LEED certified in keeping with Boom’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
In 2024, Boom will install tooling, provided by Advanced Integration Technology (AIT), ahead of moving into the building and preparing the facility and staff for Overture production launch the same year.
Boom continues to complete critical program milestones including the unveiling of Symphony™, the new propulsion system designed and optimized for Overture, which also took place in Greensboro last month.

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Following a $175m agreement with Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, has installed Split Scimitar Winglets to the first of over 400 of its Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft.This modification will improve aircraft fuel efficiency by up to 1.5%, reducing Ryanair’s annual fuel consumption by 65 million litres and carbon emissions by 165,000 tonnes.
As Ryanair grows to carry 225m passengers by FY26, this initiative will further the airline’s target of net-zero by 2050.
Ryanair’s Director of Sustainability, Thomas Fowler said:
“As Europe’s most environmentally efficient major airline, we are leading the way in sustainable aviation as demonstrated by this investment in our fleet. This winglet technology will help us reach our ambitious environmental targets on our pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. We are impressed with APB’s innovative winglet designs and look forward to having them installed on not just this first aircraft but on over 400 of our aircraft to further reduce our emissions.”
APB’s Chief Commercial Officer, Patrick LaMoria said:ADVERTISEMENT“Having the operator of the world’s largest fleet of 737-800 Next Generation aircraft install Split Scimitar Winglets is the ultimate endorsement of APB and its products. We are both humbled and honoured to continue to support Ryanair in their ambitious sustainability initiatives.”

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SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, has upgraded its innovative SkyPriority Panel Audit App for Elite Plus, First and Business Class customers. Travelers can now complete quick surveys rating their experience of 750 airport lounges, including SkyTeam-branded lounges in Dubai, Istanbul, Santiago de Chile, Sydney and Vancouver, as well as review SkyPriority touchpoints at more than 970 airports.Free to download from Google Play and the App Store, available in 16 languages and with a loyal community of users, the app empowers SkyTeam’s top travelers to share feedback at every step. Whether dropping a bag or waiting to board, each review takes less than 60 seconds and customers can add comments and photos.
“Customer insight is key. That’s why we have upgraded our innovative app to put more tools at customers’ fingertips, so they can tell SkyTeam what they think of each touchpoint on their airport journey,” said Christian Oberlé, SkyTeam’s Chief Experience Officer. “This combination of feedback and technology means we can work closely with our members to deliver a reshaped travel experience that exceeds customer expectations.”
How SkyTeam’s SkyPriority Panel Audit App works:
Elite Plus Frequent Flyers, First and Business Class customers download the app to their mobile phones and registerAs they navigate the airport, they use the app to answer speedy ‘yes/no’ surveys or add more detailed reviews and photosInformation is fed back to relevant member airlines and lounge teamsAudits are entirely voluntaryThe SkyPriority Panel Audit App is available in Arabic, Czech, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese.
Launched in March 2012, SkyPriority is an award-winning series of aligned priority airport services for Elite Plus, First and Business Class customers and is offered by every SkyTeam member at 970+ airports worldwide. Services include priority at check-in,​ bag drop, airport ticket offices, transfer desks, security and immigration (where available), boarding and baggage collection.ADVERTISEMENT

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NASA Administrator Bill Nelson holds a model of an aircraft with a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing during a news conference on NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington, DC. Through a Funded Space Act Agreement, The Boeing company and its industry team will collaborate with NASA to develop and flight-test a full-scale Transonic Truss-Braced Wing demonstrator aircraft.
NASA announced Wednesday it has issued an award to The Boeing Company for the agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, which seeks to inform a potential new generation of green single-aisle airliners.Under a Funded Space Act Agreement, Boeing will work with NASA to build, test, and fly a full-scale demonstrator aircraft and validate technologies aimed at lowering emissions.Over seven years, NASA will invest $425 million, while the company and its partners will contribute the remainder of the agreement funding, estimated at about $725 million. As part of the agreement, the agency also will contribute technical expertise and facilities.
“Since the beginning, NASA has been with you when you fly. NASA has dared to go farther, faster, higher. And in doing so, NASA has made aviation more sustainable and dependable. It is in our DNA,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “It’s our goal that NASA’s partnership with Boeing to produce and test a full-scale demonstrator will help lead to future commercial airliners that are more fuel efficient, with benefits to the environment, the commercial aviation industry, and to passengers worldwide. If we are successful, we may see these technologies in planes that the public takes to the skies in the 2030s.”
Single-aisle aircraft are the workhorse of many airline fleets, and due to their heavy usage, account for nearly half of worldwide aviation emissions. NASA plans to complete testing for the project by the late 2020s, so that technologies and designs demonstrated by the project can inform industry decisions about the next generation of single-aisle aircraft that could enter into service in the 2030s.
Through the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, Boeing and its industry team will partner with NASA to develop and flight-test a full-scale Transonic Truss-Braced Wing demonstrator aircraft.
The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept involves an aircraft with extra-long, thin wings stabilized by diagonal struts. This design results in an aircraft that is much more fuel efficient than a traditional airliner due to a shape that would create less drag – resulting in its burning less fuel.ADVERTISEMENT“NASA is working toward an ambitious goal of developing game-changing technologies to reduce aviation energy use and emissions over the coming decades toward an aviation community goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Bob Pearce, NASA associate administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. “The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing is the kind of transformative concept and investment we will need to meet those challenges and, critically, the technologies demonstrated in this project have a clear and viable path to informing the next generation of single-aisle aircraft, benefiting everyone that uses the air transportation system.”
NASA’s goal is that the technology flown on the demonstrator aircraft, when combined with other advancements in propulsion systems, materials, and systems architecture, would result in fuel consumption and emissions reductions of up to 30% relative to today’s most efficient single-aisle aircraft, depending on the mission.
Through separate efforts, NASA has worked with Boeing and other industry partners on advanced sustainable aviation concepts, including the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing concept.
“We’re honored to continue our partnership with NASA and to demonstrate technology that significantly improves aerodynamic efficiency resulting in substantially lower fuel burn and emissions,” said Todd Citron, Boeing chief technology officer. “Boeing has been advancing a multipronged sustainability strategy, including fleet renewal, operational efficiency, renewable energy, and advanced technologies to support the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan and meet the industry objective of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Sustainable Flight Demonstrator builds on more than a decade of NASA, Boeing, and our industry partners’ investments to help achieve these objectives.”
The new Funded Space Act agreement allows NASA to capitalize on private industry knowledge and experience, with Boeing and its partners laying out a proposed technical plan. NASA will provide access to its aeronautics facilities and expertise. NASA will not procure an aircraft or any other hardware for its missions. The agency will obtain access to certain ground and flight data that can be used to validate the airframe configuration and associated technologies.
The Sustainable Flight Demonstrator will help the United States achieve net-zero carbon emissions from aviation by 2050 – one of the environmental goals articulated in the White House’s U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan. The International Civil Aviation Organization also has set a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The project is an activity under NASA’s Integrated Aviation Systems Program and a key element of the Sustainable Flight National Partnership, which focuses on developing new sustainable aviation technologies.
Learn more about NASA’s Sustainable Aviation efforts at:

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The UK Civil Aviation Authority has proposed to simplify the guidance for airspace change to help improve the process for airports, air navigation services and those affected by airspace change.Known as CAP1616, the regulator’s new proposals will make its guidance easier to understand and make the requirements of the stages, steps and gateways to request an airspace change clearer.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority also wants to make the process more proportionate and tailored to each proposal put forward.
First published in 2018, the regulator committed to review the CAP1616 process three years after its implementation.
Jon Round, Head of Airspace, Air Traffic Management and Aerodromes, said:
“Airspace change affects so many of us, and as an organisation we strive to keep learning and improving. Our proposals will go some way to making sure the airspace change process is easier to understand and that the requirements at each step are much clearer.ADVERTISEMENT“The engagement we have undertaken so far has been invaluable in understanding how the airspace change process can be improved, both for change sponsors and those affected by airspace change.
“This gives us the opportunity to reflect on feedback and make further improvements to the guidance.”
This review gives the Civil Aviation Authority the opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned following the implementation of CAP1616 and make further improvements to the airspace change process.
The improvements have been proposed following engagement with industry. The UK Civil Aviation Authority is now seeking views on its consultation on what the updated airspace change guidance will look like.

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