<h5>What is the impact of the airline industry on global climate?</h5><p>The airline industry significantly contributes to global pollution and climate change. Global airlines, both passenger and cargo, contribute 1.9% of total greenhouse gas emissions and 2.5% of carbon dioxide emissions.</p><p>Carbon dioxide emissions from the aircraft industry have increased by 4-5% every year since 2010. So, many airline companies are trying their best to come up with various solutions to reduce their contribution towards climate change.</p><p>Recently, Virgin Atlantic operated its first flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF is a biofuel used to power aeroplanes that has qualities similar to regular aviation fuel but a lower carbon footprint.</p><h5>What do we know about this flight?</h5><div class="raw-html-embed"><figure> <video width="100%" controls=""> <source src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/the-world-s-first-ever-green-flight%2FFlight100%20Vid.mp4?alt=media&amp;token=486d48d8-97cc-4c07-bb97-9d12f8c51016" type="video/mp4"> </video> <figcaption>A video on Flight100. Video by virginatlantic.</figcaption> </figure></div><p>On 28th November 2023, Virgin Atlantic’s Flight100 flew using 100% SAF. It was the first time a commercial airline flew across the Atlantic from London Heathrow to New York JFK using 100% SAF. Using 100% SAF reduces carbon dioxide emissions by a lot compared to regular jet fuel.</p><p>The goal of Flight100 was to highlight the potential of SAF as a substitute for fossil fuels. It also provided essential research data regarding SAF and a push for increased SAF manufacturing and use on a large scale. The company also wishes to share what it learned from Flight100 to bring the world towards sustainable flight.</p><p>The company is also on a quest to reach net zero emissions by 2050, and SAF will play a critical role. The test flight didn't have any regular passengers. The plane was boarded by people from the company and a few reporters.</p><h5>How soon can 100% SAF be used for flights?</h5><p>Generally, planes can use up to 50% SAF. So, Virgin Atlantic had to get special permission to use 100% SAF. There’s still a long way before 100% SAF is used. SAF is very costly and can cost up to five times as much as traditional jet fuel.</p><p>Its availability is also very low compared to normal jet fuel. Virgin Atlantic hopes its flight will motivate more companies to develop SAF and lower the price.</p><p>However, experts say there’s still a big problem. They claim that small amounts of SAF can be produced from plant waste. However, making vast quantities of SAF for airlines (planes require a lot of fuel) would require farmers to grow plants for fuel rather than for food. This may result in deforestation as more forests might be cut down for farming the plants.</p><p>Still, companies and governments are trying to ensure 100% SAF can be used for flights in the future.</p>

The airline Virgin Atlantic conducted the world’s first ‘green flight’.

The World's First-Ever 'Green' Flight

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The World's First-Ever 'Green' Flight

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