In a move to make international travel more sustainable, Spanish carrier Iberia will use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on some of their long-haul flights. 

On June 1, 2022, Iberia operated its first long-haul flight between Madrid and Washington DC using an Airbus A330-200 aircraft (registration EC-MKI) partly powered by SAF. The biofuel was produced from waste at the Petronor refinery. 

The airline will also use SAF on routes to Dallas and San Francisco. Both flights will deploy the Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The use of biofuels in these three flights will reduce CO2 emissions by 125 tons, according to the airline. 

In 2021, Iberia signed a collaboration agreement with Repsol, a global energy company, with the aim to make air travel more sustainable.  

“The aviation industry needs solutions, such as the use of biofuels, in order to continue with the decarbonization process we have embarked on,” Josu Jon Imaz, CEO of Repsol, said. “Repsol’s and Iberia’s commitment is placing us at the forefront of this endeavor. In addition, it consolidates our position as a multi-energy company with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the first oil company to commit to this ambitious goal.” 

By 2024, Iberia aims to operate flights using up to 50% SAF, “produced at the Cartagena plant, as well as synthetic fuel produced in the Petronor plant in Bilbao and using HVO (hydro-treated vegetable oil) for airport service vehicles”. 

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