First flight across the Atlantic using only sustainable aviation fuel

Using only sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a long-haul commercial airplane is crossing the Atlantic for the first time. Up until recently, authorities have only permitted airlines to run their engines on up to 50% eco-fuel. However, this test flight of a Boeing 787 from London Heathrow to JFK Airport in New York will run entirely on SAF, which is mostly composed of discarded cooking oil and plant-based products. Virgin Atlantic's vice president of corporate development, Holly Boyd-Boland, stated to Sky News that "this isn't a zero-emission flight, but it is demonstrating that we have huge levers out there and huge opportunities to materially bring down the carbon footprint of flying today." As airlines attempt to decarbonize flying before new electric and hydrogen-powered choices are available, they are resting their hopes on SAF to lower net emissions by as much as 70% when compared with fossil fuels.