Teesside has become the UK’s first airport to partner with Air
France-KLM for the airline’s programme to boost the use of
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, part of the Air France-KLM group,
connects passengers worldwide from Teesside to more than 160
countries via its link to the global Amsterdam Schiphol hub.
Air France and KLM are now working on their ambitious road map
towards decarbonisation, modernising its fleet and investing in
alternative, non-fossil, fuels.
This new programme is allowing the airline to partner with
organisations and companies such as Teesside Airport to
accelerate the production, adoption and usage of SAF – which
currently makes up less than 1% of fuel used on commercial
flights – transitioning from traditional fuels and reducing the
CO2 footprint of air travel.
The programme also supports Teesside’s own plans to ensure the
airport’s buildings and infrastructure hit Net Zero before the
decade is out. A new Net Zero Strategy for the region also
details how the airport aims to use SAF to achieve Net Zero
flights by 2035 – making Teesside the UK’s first Net Zero
airport.
Tees Valley Mayor said: “I’ve long championed
the brilliant businesses across Teesside, Darlington and
Hartlepool who are pioneering the cleaner, safer and healthier
industries of the future and, as an airport, we have to practice
what we preach. By joining forces with Air France-KLM, Teesside
has further dedicated itself to driving the development and
uptake of SAF for the good of the sector and the world.
“This is just one initiative helping to drive forward our low
carbon ambitions for both the airport and region. Separately to
this programme, multimillion-pound research and development into
SAF is taking place on our doorstep.
“Schemes like the airport’s hydrogen vehicle trials also have
applications not just at our site but far and wide. As these
technologies develop, they’ll help decarbonise the environment,
boost investment and create good-quality, well-paid jobs.”
Teesside Airport’s Managing Director Phil Forster said:
“Partnering with the airlines that have long supported our
airport to address the critical issues facing the industry is
central to achieving these aims, that will benefit the world.
We’re excited to be the UK’s first airport to sign up to this
programme, setting out our stall as a leader in supporting
emerging technologies in the sector.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us to decarbonise our airport
from top to bottom, not just in its day-to-day operations but
also in its flights – but with initiatives like this I’ve no
doubt we can succeed.”
Fahmi Mahjoub, General Manager of Air France-KLM (UK &
Ireland), said: "I am very excited to welcome Teesside
International Airport as the first airport in the UK to join our
SAF programme. This is a major step forward in addressing our
sustainability challenge as an aviation company by partnering
with a UK airport to help the environment. Today marks the start
of a new level of cooperation across the industry and we hope
that this news helps spread the awareness in the UK and that more
companies will join us in making SAF more readily available
around the globe."
