Avikor partnership empowers 100,000 Vueling travellers to choose SAF

The airline's partnership with Avikor ensures the option to contribute to SAF is available during the booking process

Spanish airline Vueling, part of IAG, has revealed that over 100,000 consumers have opted in to contribute to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on the day of their flight contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions.

The partnership with Avikor, a service offered by Exolum, ensures the option to contribute is available during the booking process and is then matched by Vueling to double the amount of SAF supplied. 

Following the recent one-year anniversary of the collaboration, Vueling revealed that more than 50% of the engaged consumers using the SAF scheme are aged 35 to 64, with 40% younger than 34 and 9% older than 65.  

As a result over 145 tonnes have been already supplied, helping to reduce the emissions up to 350 CO2 tonnes - the equivalent of 37 roundtrips from London Gatwick to Orly or 15 from Barcelona to London Gatwick.  

Vueling, the first of the IAG group to commit to achieving net zero CO2 emissions by 2025, is on track to achieve its 2030 goal of using 10% SAF. 

By 2030, Vueling hopes to supply more than 100,000 tonnes of SAF annually, well above the Europen Union’s required six percent of fuel consumption to be SAF.

There are still challenges in producing SAF and the company advocates for incentivising the production of SAF to accelerate the decarbonisation of aviation. 

Franc Sanmarti, director of sustainability and government affairs of Vueling, says: “Since the launch of the SAF supply contribution, Vueling has continued to offer competitive prices whilst also providing an option to reduce the environmental impact of flying, supporting the transition to carbon neutral and more sustainable transportation. 

Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go, as we need to accelerate SAF production if we want to meet the industry’s demand in the short and medium term”. 

The airline is said to be committed to minimising the effects of climate change and supporting sustainable development, through optimising routes in the framework of the Single European Sky and fleet efficiency.

Teamed with new generation engines, reducing weight of the aircraft with the digitalisation of documentation and the use of lighter trolleys, will help cut the emissions by up to 20%. 

Vueling is working with air navigation service providers ENAIRE and Eurocontrol to ensure that flight paths are as efficient as possible which is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 10%. 

Vueling is also working on optimising ground movements and flying at the optimum altitudes and speeds to reduce fuel consumption.