The state-owned flag carrier airline of Portugal, TAP Air Portugal, completed its first flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which was made from waste, recycled used oils, and other sustainable raw materials.
TAP Air Portugal has made a step toward its goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. On July 22, 2022, the airline’s Airbus A321neo passenger aircraft, registered CS-TJR, performed the first domestic flight TP1863 between Lisbon (LIS) and Ponta Delgada (PDL) operating on SAF. The carrier estimated that it succeeded in cutting around 35% of carbon emissions on the route compared to using regular jet fuel.
The recent move made TAP Air Portugal the first air carrier in Portugal to perform a passenger flight using a SAF blend. It came as part of the airline’s strategic partnership with airport operator ANA Aeroportos de Portugal and its concessionaire VINCI Airports, where parties agreed to take a leading role in the industry‘s decarbonization actions across the country.
TAP Air Portugal and its partners are formally committed to the Airports Council International Europe (ACI) Europe Resolution on Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050. The carrier and local airports are set to scale up the uptake of SAF in Portugal by gradually increasing the number of flights operated on advanced biofuels.
ACI estimates that by 2050 at least 63% of both passenger and cargo flights departing from various EU airports will be powered by SAF.