Jet2 boss: SAF delays put UK holidaymakers ‘at a competitive disadvantage’
James ChappleThe boss of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has warned the UK risks falling behind in the race to foster a homegrown sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, putting the industry and UK holidaymakers "at a competitive disadvantage".
Chief executive Steve Heapy’s comments came as Jet2 confirmed it will introduce an SAF blend at a second of its 11 operational UK bases this summer in advance of the UK’s SAF mandate taking effect from 1 January 2025. This mandate will, by 2030, require fuel suppliers to supply jet fuel comprising at least a 10% SAF blend.
Jet2.com has purchased around 650 tonnes of SAF from Shell Aviation, which will be used to introduce a 1% SAF blend into its fuel mix onboard flights departing Stansted airport this summer. Bristol was last month confirmed as Jet2’s first base at which it would start introducing a SAF blend.
Between the two airports, Jet2.com has purchased approximately 1,000 tonnes of SAF. Jet2 claims in its neat form, SAF can reduce life-cycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional jet fuel. Last year, parliament’s transport committee’s Fuelling the Future report concluded SAFs were "the most viable option for the immediate reduction of aviation emissions".
Jet2 plc has also invested in plans for a SAF production plant in the North West, which will supply more than 200 million litres of SAF once operational. It said its investment in SAF deployment and production formed part of its journey to net zero by 2050, a journey it said on Tuesday (16 April) it aspires to bring forward.
The airline and operator plans to publish an updated sustainability strategy – "outlining its targets and actions" – later this year. Pledges include investing in more fuel efficient aircraft and helping agents and consumers to more easily identify accommodation options meeting sustainability standards recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
However, Jet2 said without a "fully-fledged domestic SAF industry", the UK would remain reliant on costly imports or airlines paying buy-out prices for SAF, "putting UK airlines and holidaymakers at a competitive disadvantage".
Heapy said extending its SAF rollout to Stansted "demonstrated the tangible actions" the airline and operator is taking to mitigate its climate impact. "We see SAF as critical in helping the industry decarbonise.
"As well as doing this, we can use this to ensure our operations are ready for SAF uptake both now and in the future, when we anticipate its use will grow materially. We very much see 1% as the starting point and we want to grow this over the coming years."
Heapy continued: "Today’s announcement, in addition to our investment into a new SAF plant, shows how committed we are to SAF and how much we believe in unlocking its huge potential.
"Unfortunately, there is still some way to go and without more supplies of UK SAF and greater support to incentivise its uptake and reduce its cost, our industry and UK holidaymakers are at a disadvantage.
"The UK government must implement the price revenue mechanism earlier than the current timeline of 2026 which means we can secure investor confidence, build the UK SAF plants that we need, and turbocharge the UK SAF industry."
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