AirAsia has entered a significant partnership with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to promote the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and carbon reduction initiatives in the ASEAN region. This long-term collaboration will focus on research and development, exploring the decentralized production of SAF using alternative feedstocks and technologies.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AirAsia and Airbus also aims to improve air traffic management (ATM) to reduce carbon emissions, with inspiration drawn from Europe’s Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) project. By applying these approaches in the ASEAN region, the collaboration seeks to enhance both operational efficiencies and sustainability efforts.
Mr. Yap Moon Ching, Chief Sustainability Officer of Capital A Group, expressed confidence in the partnership, emphasizing AirAsia’s key role in testing and promoting sustainable solutions. He highlighted AirAsia’s operational experience in five ASEAN countries as complementary to Airbus’s technological leadership.
The partnership also supports AirAsia’s goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. From 2024 onwards, all new Airbus aircraft delivered to AirAsia will include a fuel blend containing 5% SAF. The airline’s order of 361 Airbus A321s, part of its fleet upgrade, is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 10% by 2035, with SAF usage contributing to a further 15% reduction.
