VISTARA BECOMES THE FIRST INDIAN AIRLINE TO OPERATE A COMMERCIAL, WIDE-BODY AIRCRAFT FLIGHT USING SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL (SAF)

The Voice of Chandigarh|Travel Trade Reporter: Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture of TATA Group and Singapore Airlines, became the first Indian airline to operate a commercial domestic flight on a wide-body aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This historic feat was achieved on Vistara’s brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, flying from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai using a blend of 17% SAF with 83% conventional jet fuel. On this flight, Vistara was able to reduce approximately 10,000 pounds of CO₂ emissions. This pioneering initiative is part of Vistara’s ongoing efforts to minimize carbon footprint and support a sustainable future for the aviation industry.

Last month, Vistara operated a wide-body aircraft on a long-haul international route using sustainable aviation fuel, first time for an Indian airline. A blend of 30% SAF and 70% conventional jet fuel was used on a ferry flight between Charleston International Airport, South Carolina to Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, which resulted in the reduction of approximately 150,000 pounds of CO2 emissions over the fuel’s life cycle.

On this occasion, Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We have always been committed to driving sustainability and innovation in aviation, and are delighted to carry out yet another industry-first initiative of operating a commercial flight on a wide-body using SAF. We are thankful to our partners and the relevant authorities for their support.”

Vistara, along with other airline companies of the TATA group, has been working extensively towards reduction of carbon emissions through use of sustainable technologies. Last year, they had signed an MoU with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Petroleum to collaborate on the research, development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Vistara is also working through the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), to lower CO2 emissions for international flights and to curb the industry’s impact on climate change.

Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The airline has recently been featured amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines while being recognised as the ‘Best Airline in India and Southern Asia’ for the second time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff Service in India and Southern Asia’ for the fourth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and Southern Asia’ for the second time in a row and ‘Best Business Class in India and Southern Asia’ at the coveted Skytrax World Airline Awards 2022. Vistara was also named the ‘Best Overall Airline’ in Central/Southern Asia at the 2023 Regional Passenger Choice Awards. Additionally, Vistara had recently received the ch-aviation Asia’s Third Youngest Airline Fleet award for the second consecutive year.