A First For Air Transat
Over the weekend, Air Transat made the first two delivery flights with its new jets fuelled by a kerosene blend containing 10% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a first for the Canadian carrier.
It’s also a first for the Airbus plant in Hamburg, Germany, which produces these aircraft, because until this weekend, delivery with SAF was offered only to Airbus customers at its plants in Toulouse, France, and Mobile, Alabama.
Jean-François Lemay, president and general manager, Air Transat, said: “It is an honour for us and a sign of confidence from Airbus to be, together with AerCap, its first customer to take advantage of this new delivery option at its Hamburg plant.”
Christian Scherer, chief commercial officer, Airbus, commented: “This initiative is part of our commitment to reducing our own carbon footprint while contributing to the achievement of the airline industry’s ambitious decarbonization targets.”
Scherer continued: “Sustainability and efficiency are essential for our customers and for Airbus. Sustainable aviation fuel developments will play a key role in reducing the environmental footprint of the aviation industry. By using sustainable aviation fuels on delivery flights with partners like AerCap and Air Transat, who are flying the aircraft from Hamburg to their Canadian home base non-stop, we take concrete action to contribute to a more sustainable aviation future.”
Philip Scruggs, president and chief commercial officer of AerCap, commented: “We are very pleased to be a part of this historic milestone, working together with our partners at Airbus and with our long-time customer, Air Transat, to help them meet their sustainable growth ambitions. The A321neoLR will allow Air Transat to generate significant fuel savings while reducing the environmental impact of its operations.”
Both delivery flights are carbon-neutral because the kerosene fossil fuel portion was offset by the purchase of carbon credits.
Lemay said: “We are proud to be the first Canadian carrier to operate carbon-neutral flights, and we will continue to pursue our commitment to providing our passengers with a travel experience that takes account of our environmental footprint.”
PHOTO Caption:
Celebrating the first delivery of an Airbus A321LR for Air Transat with sustainable aviation fuel, from l to r, are:
Damien Imbert, Head of Contracts Delivery, Airbus Hamburg
Capt. Manuel Chabot, Air Transat
Gunnar Gross, Project Leader Sustainable Air Fuel Airbus Hamburg
Jürgen Kuper, General Manager Air bp Continental Europe
Capt. Andrew Gordon, Air Transat
Ronny Stelter, Consultant Manager New Aircraft Acceptance and Delivery, AerCap
