Emirates Adds SAF On Flights From Amsterdam Airport, Changi Next On List

Emirates has embarked on a significant step towards sustainability by activating its fuel agreement with Neste, commencing this month at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Under this agreement, more than 2 million gallons of blended Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will be integrated into Schiphol Airport's fuelling system throughout 2024, marking a substantial move towards reducing aviation-related emissions.

The partnership between Emirates and Neste, unveiled late last year, stands as one of the airline's most substantial SAF purchases. A key highlight of this collaboration is the delivery of over 700,000 gallons of neat SAF into Amsterdam Schiphol's fuelling system. Furthermore, Emirates is set to extend this initiative to Singapore Changi Airport in the upcoming months, reinforcing its commitment to environmental stewardship.

Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer at Emirates, emphasized the importance of such collaborations in the airline's sustainability journey. "Collaborating with committed partners like Neste is a practical step towards reducing our emissions. It's an important milestone in our sustainability journey. Strong partnerships, especially at major air transport hubs like Amsterdam, are crucial for increasing SAF access and availability across our network," he stated.

Alexander Kueper, Vice President of Renewable Aviation at Neste, also expressed pride in supporting Emirates' sustainability journey. "SAF is a solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from air travel. It's exciting that Emirates has started using our Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This collaboration exemplifies our combined efforts to accelerate SAF usage," Kueper commented.

Benefits of Emirates' SAF Usage

The agreement highlights that SAF can safely complement existing jet engines and airport fuelling infrastructure, potentially reducing lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel. Emirates' history with SAF dates back to 2017, with its first SAF-blended flight from Chicago. The airline has since operated flights from Paris, Lyon, and Oslo using SAF and, in October last year, integrated SAF into Dubai Airport's fuelling systems for several flights, including one to Sydney.

Earlier this year, Emirates became the first international airline to join the UK's Solent Cluster, aiming to establish a SAF plant capable of producing up to 200,000 tonnes per year by 2032. This initiative is part of Emirates' broader engagement in industry and UAE government working groups to scale SAF production and supply. Notably, Emirates has contributed to the UAE's power-to-liquid fuels roadmap and the National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap, targeting the production of 700 million litres of SAF by 2030.

As a founding participant of the UAE research consortium Air-CRAFT, Emirates actively collaborates with entities across aviation, government, regulatory, academic, fuel production, and the manufacturing value chain. This consortium focuses on developing, producing, and scaling SAF technologies for the industry, positioning Emirates at the forefront of the sustainable aviation movement.

Emirates' partnership with Neste and its ongoing efforts in SAF adoption underscore the airline's commitment to reducing its environmental footprint and leading the aviation industry towards a more sustainable future.