Vistara operates Boeing 787 aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel

Full service carrier Vistara on Thursday said it operated a Boeing 787 aircraft on the Delhi-Mumbai route, using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is the first time that an Indian carrier has operated a commercial domestic flight on a wide-body aircraft, using a blend of 17 per cent SAF with 83 per cent conventional jet fuel, the airline said in a statement. The Delhi-Mumbai flight using blended with SAF helped the airline reduce approximately 10,000 pounds of CO2 emissions, it said. “This pioneering initiative is part of Vistara’s ongoing efforts to minimize carbon footprint and support a sustainable future for the aviation industry,” the airline said. Last month, the joint venture of Tata Group-Singapore Airlines — Vistara — had operated a wide-body aircraft on a long-haul international route using sustainable aviation fuel, which was also the first time for an Indian airline. A blend of 30 per cent SAF and 70 per cent conventional jet fuel was used on a ferry flight between Charleston International Airport, South Carolina to Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, which resulted in the reduction of approximately 150,000 pounds of CO2 emissions over the fuel’s life cycle, Vistara said. “We have always been committed to driving sustainability and innovation in aviation, and are delighted to carry out yet another industry-first initiative of operating a commercial flight on a wide-body using SAF,” said Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer at Vistara, which is in the process of merging with Tata Group-owned Air India. Besides Air India, the group also owns low-cost carrier AIX Connect (AirAsia India) and international budget airline Air India Express. These two airlines are also set to be integrated into one single entity, which is planned to be operated as a low-cost airline.