Vistara Becomes First Indian Airline To Operate Domestic Flight With Sustainable Fuel

Full-service carrier Vistara on Thursday said it operated a Boeing 787 aircraft on the Delhi-Mumbai route, using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is the first time that an Indian carrier has operated a commercial, domestic flight on a wide-body aircraft, using a blend of 17 percent SAF with 83 percent conventional jet fuel, the airline said in a statement.

The Delhi-Mumbai flight using blended with SAF helped the airline reduce approximately 10,000 pounds of CO2 emissions, it said. "This pioneering initiative is part of Vistara's ongoing efforts to minimize carbon footprint and support a sustainable future for the aviation industry," the airline said.

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Last month, the joint venture of Tata Group-Singapore Airlines -- Vistara -- operated a wide-body aircraft on a long-haul international route using sustainable aviation fuel, which was also the first time for an Indian airline.

A blend of 30 percent SAF and 70 percent conventional jet fuel was used on a ferry flight between Charleston International Airport, South Carolina, to Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, which resulted in the reduction of approximately 150,000 pounds of CO2 emissions over fuel's life cycle, 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," said Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer at Vistara, which is in the process of merging with Tata Group-owned Air India.

Besides Air India, the group also owns low-cost carrier AIX Connect (AirAsia India) and international budget airline Air India Express. These two airlines are also set to be integrated into one single entity, which is planned to be operated as a low-cost airline.

Vistara, in a statement, said that along with other airline companies of the TATA Group, it has been working extensively towards the reduction of carbon emissions through the use of sustainable technologies.