Indian low-cost carrier Indigo Airlines is prospecting the implementation of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its aircraft after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an unknown SAF provider on July 30, 2021.
In a report titled ‘IndiGo Green’ released on July 30, 2021, the airline acknowledged the limited production of SAF and its potential implementation in their fleet.
“The utilization of SAF commercially is still a few years away, but as a leader in Indian aviation, we have already embarked on this journey by signing our first MoU with an international SAF provider,” stated the Indigo Green report.
The commercial aviation industry is regarded to be one of the significant contributors to global carbon emissions. The carrier said it aims to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emission by 18% per available seat kilometer (ASK) in 2022-23 compared to 2015-16.
ASK measures the passenger-carrying capacity of the airline, and it is calculated by multiplying the total number of seats in flights to the total number of kilometers flown by them.
The airline also indicated that it was trying to reduce its air turbine fuel consumption, optimize air navigation routes and improve flight operations.