Airlines

World’s first net zero transatlantic flight to fly from London in 2023

World first as Virgin Atlantic wins UK government funding to operate historic London – New York flight.

Virgin Atlantic to join SkyTeam alliance

World first as Virgin Atlantic wins UK government funding to operate historic London – New York flight.
Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Imperial College London, University of Sheffield, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and ICF also form part of an iconic British-led consortium.
Heralds future of low carbon aviation, with the wider sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry potentially creating thousands of UK jobs while supporting delivery of net zero aviation emissions by 2050.

The first ever net zero transatlantic flight will take off from the UK next year, with Virgin Atlantic receiving government funding to fly across the pond using solely sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

In 2023, one of Virgin Atlantic’s flagship Boeing 787s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, will take off from London Heathrow and make the journey to New York’s John F Kennedy Airport – a journey made by thousands of people for business, family, and leisure every week. But this will be no ordinary journey.

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When fully replacing kerosene, SAF can slash lifecycle carbon emissions by more than 70% compared to conventional fossil jet fuel. This flight is expected to be fuelled by SAF made primarily from waste oils and fats, such as used cooking oil. The use of 100% SAF on the flight, combined with carbon removal through biochar credits – a material which traps and stores carbon taken from the atmosphere – will make the flight net zero.

Not only will SAF be key in decarbonising aviation, but it could create a UK industry with an annual turnover of £2.4bn by 2040, and which supports up to 5,200 UK jobs by 2035.

Delivering the transatlantic flight will help to gather the data needed to support ongoing and future work to test and certify higher blends of SAF and it’s non-CO2 impacts, while exploring how operational efficiency improvements, flight optimisation and carbon removals can contribute to achieving net-zero flights – not just in the UK, but for the global aviation industry.

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Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise and without urgent collaborative action it could be one of the highest emitting sectors for greenhouse gases by 2050. To tackle this, the government published the Jet Zero Strategy in July 2022 which sets out our approach for decarbonising the sector and champions SAF as one of the main tools for achieving Jet Zero.

Airlines

Air India Rolls Out A350s for Delhi-New York JFK and Newark Routes

In a major development for North American travelers, Air India has announced the deployment of its state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft on two key routes: Delhi to New York and Delhi to Newark.

The service on the Delhi-New York route will commence on November 1, 2024, while the Delhi-Newark route will see its inaugural flight on January 2, 2025.

The introduction of the air india a350 will bring significant enhancements to Air India’s offerings, particularly with the launch of its Premium Economy class. air india retrofit This new class will feature 24 wide seats arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration, providing passengers with extra legroom and a more comfortable flying experience.

Soon, Air India aircraft will feature onboard WiFi & all-new cabins: Click here

“We are encouraged by the positive guest feedback we have received from the domestic deployment of our air india a350 interior to offer our hero product on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. This is a significant leap forward for our U.S. operations that also underscores our commitment to continuous improvement,” said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Air India.

The A350’s Business class will set new standards with 28 private suites, each equipped with full-flat beds, direct aisle access, and personal wardrobes. Economy class will be configured to accommodate 264 passengers in a 3-4-3 layout. Across all cabins, passengers will enjoy the latest Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system, offering over 2,200 hours of content.

Air India’s First A350-900: Interior, Routes, &Inflight Features: Click here

This strategic deployment marks a notable enhancement in Air India’s U.S. operations, with 60% of its flights to the U.S. now featuring new or upgraded cabin interiors. The air india new international routes currently operates 51 weekly flights to five U.S. destinations: New York JFK, Newark, Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco.

The revamped cabins, advanced in-flight entertainment systems, and improved service standards represent air india wifi commitment to providing a superior travel experience. “We believe this enhanced offering will solidify Air India’s position as a leading carrier and attract travellers seeking a world-class flying experience between India and the United States,” the airline stated.

Seats on these flights are now available for booking on Air India’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents, ensuring that passengers can easily plan their journeys on these newly upgraded routes.