Govt told it's now or never to get behind sustainable fuel sector

However, Alderslade said the measures outlined on Thursday didn’t go far enough. "We have long been clear that while a mandate creates demand for SAF, it does not provide revenue certainty for producers in what is still a nascent industry," he said.

"Airlines will pick up SAF as required by government – either at home or through imports – but existing policy will not provide certainty to investors who want to build here in the UK and produce SAF locally."

Alderslade added that time was running out to establish a potentially lucrative homegrown SAF industry in the UK. "Without a clear commitment to a revenue certainty mechanism, without the need for public subsidy, in the coming days we risk this investment – and the tens of thousands of jobs and huge export potential from a homegrown SAF industry – going to the US, who announced their own support for SAF production months ago.

"We look forward to working with HM Treasury and the Department for Transport at pace to agree ways of ensuring this opportunity isn’t lost."