Air France to Operate Flights from San Francisco Using Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Air France and Shell have signed a MOU signaling their intent to fuel flights from San Francisco International Airport using a blend of conventional and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from 1 June 2020.

The SAF is made from inedible waste fats and oils. This RSB-certified alternative fuel meets strict sustainability standards and can be delivered via the airport’s hydrant system.

The airline anticipates that this initiative will help save approximately 6,000 tons of CO2 over a period of 16 months.

Anna Mascolo, Vice President Shell Aviation, said, “Along with new technologies and offsets, sustainable aviation fuels have a huge role to play in reducing emissions from air travel. With urgent action and industry collaboration it is possible to fly and emit less. However, we are still at the beginning of the journey with significant opportunity to increase the supply of sustainable aviation fuel and replicate successes such as this globally. At Shell we are committed to working with the industry towards a more sustainable aviation industry. Commitments like this from Air France can only help accelerate this journey, giving producers the assurance to invest in building refinery capacity and enabling us to develop the supply infrastructure required.”

Air France has long advocated the creation of a viable sustainable aviation fuel sector. A pioneer in its use on commercial flights, Air France first initiated experiments as early as 2014 and has since heavily invested in innovation, working hand-in-hand with researchers.

The airline's sustainable development agenda for 2030 involves cutting CO2 emissions by 50%, which Air France notably aims to achieve by investing in fuel-efficient aircraft.

Anne Rigail, CEO of Air France, said, “Sustainable aviation fuels are integral to our sustainability approach. They constitute an immediate concrete response to our environmental challenges and we must encourage their production. This initiative in California demonstrates that when states set up incentive mechanisms, production picks up and airlines are given the means to take action. We as a community must look at this as an example and duplicate it around the world, notably at home, in France.”

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