KLM flies on used cooking oil: Thomson to follow suit

Where would we be without chip fat

KLM became the world’s first airline to fly on used cooking oil, at the end of the month: Thomson is to become the first UK airline to do the same – and got an ISO 14001 certification for its trouble!

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines became the first airline in the world to operate a commercial flight carrying 171 passengers on biokerosene. Flight KL1233 – a Boeing 737-800 – took off on 29 June  at 12:30 hours from Schiphol bound for Charles de Gaulle in Paris carrying 171 passengers.

KLM’s first commercial flight to Paris was operated on biokerosene produced from used cooking oil. This same raw material will be used in the flights scheduled for September. The fuel was supplied by Dynamic Fuels via SkyNRG, the consortium co-founded by KLM in 2009 with the North Sea Group and Spring Associates.

State Secretary of Infrastructure and the Environment, Joop Atsma, was present for the flight’s departure. He commented, "It will be interesting to follow and stimulate the further development of biofuels. In taking this step, KLM clearly shows the value of finding clever ways to use waste derived from producers and consumers,”

Managing Director of KLM, Camiel Eurlings, also stated “Last week we announced that we would be operating more than 200 flights from Amsterdam to Paris on biokerosene in September this year. Today, KLM wrote history! KLM is ready and today we were pleased to show just that. In taking this initiative, KLM leads the world in showing that innovation and sustainability are inextricably linked."

The Inspectorate for Transport, Public Works and Water Management (Inspectie Verkeer en Waterstaat – IVW) granted KLM permission to operate the flight. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing was also closely involved in making this first flight possible.

KLM is open to using different raw materials for the end product, as long as they meet a range of sustainability criteria, including substantial reductions in CO2 emissions and minimum negative impact on biodiversity and food supply.

All biofuels used by KLM also have to meet precisely the same technical specifications as traditional kerosene and must not require any adjustments to aircraft engines or infrastructure.

KLM has been committed to developing sustainable biofuel since 2007. Air France KLM is also an industry leader in the field of fuel efficiency. Air France KLM has been sector leader of de Dow Jones Sustainability Index for six successive years.

At the end of this month, Thomson is to make UK airline history and fly customers on the same sustainable biofuel. The company is calling on the airline industry and government to work together to develop a framework that facilitates the wider use of this sustainable fuel.

The airline will operate the UK’s first sustainable biofuel flight from Birmingham to Palma on 28th July 2011, once its stringent testing process has been completed and final safety clearance has been received. Weekly flights will follow on the same route from September. 

Sustainable biofuel, says Thomson, has the potential to reduce aviation emissions by up to 80% in the long-term.

However, sustainable biofuels currently trade at a significant premium over regular jet fuel, a premium that the airline industry says it cannot sustain.

Thomson already operates one of the highest load factors in the UK industry and therefore makes the most efficient use of its fleet and of the airport slots made available to it. 

The airline also operates with an emission rate of 75g CO2 per passenger kilometre flown, significantly lower than average emission rates for both low cost and full service scheduled carriers.

The Thomson Airways engineering team has achieved external ISO 14001 certification for its Environmental Management System (EMS). Thomson Airways is the first airline in the UK to roll out this standard across its engineering operations.

Chris Browne, Thomson Airways Managing Director, says: “Sustainability is key to this investment. Sustainable biofuels offer us the opportunity to improve our own individual environmental performance as well as contributing to the UK’s carbon reduction target.

“We urge UK and EU governments to use this opportunity to review the legislation and remove the barriers around sustainable biofuels so that other airlines can follow our lead.”

At this stage, it is anticipated that the weekly sustainable biofuel flights will operate for one year from Birmingham to Palma in the summer and Birmingham to Alicante in the winter. As sustainable biofuels become more commercially viable, Thomson Airways plans to expand its use of sustainable biofuels across its fleet over the next three years.

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Special Offers HERE