Ongoing BA sustainability incentives “a message of hope”
Three years since launching the airline’s ‘BA Better World’ sustainability programme, Carrie Harris, director of sustainability at British Airways, highted the momentum BA has been making in the area: from routinely integrating SAF into internal operations, and extending supplies of the fuel.
Increased use of SAF (and extending a portfolio of suppliers) is also complemented by ongoing action on carbon removals, and investment into ground handling operations and operational efficiency; with 700 pieces of airfield equipment now able to operate on electric or hydrogenated vegetable oil.
However, aircraft efficiency also plays a prominent role in BA’s move towards net zero. “This year, we have 13 new aircraft coming into our fleet, and last year we had ten – these aircraft are typically between 20-35% more fuel efficient than the aircraft they’re replacing,” added Harris. Visitors to the airshow can also see BA’s latest addition to the fleet: an A320neo, which flew here on 38% blended SAF.
Long-term priorities for BA’s sustainability agenda include securing investment in SAFs, driving the market for carbon movements (something Harris describes as a “nascent market that needs to scale to a trillion dollar market by 2050”), and investing in zero-emission flight.
“All the research and development that is going on at Farnborough, we’re demonstrating now how that has gone through the technology readiness levels and is now being operated on our aircraft,” concluded Harris. “It’s a message of hope”.
