China Airlines carries out first freighter SAF flight in Taiwan
09 / 10 / 2024
Photo: China Airlines
China Airlines has carried out the first freighter flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Taiwan and confirmed the first company to join its SAF partnership programme.
The Taiwan-based airline recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on SAF with freight forwarder Morrison Express Corporation that saw the company join its SAF programme.
China Airlines said a 777 flight (CI5705) from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on October 8 subsequently became the first freighter flight to use SAF in the Taiwanese airline industry.
China Airlines pioneered the use of SAF “on ferry flights for new aircraft deliveries in 2017”, while the first Taiwanese passenger flight fuelled by SAF was carried out last year.
China Airlines has also invested in a number of other sustainability initiatives. These include the introduction and promotion of e-Cargo services, the use of eco-friendly poly-sheets containing recycled materials for stacking pallets and the reuse of poly-sheets.
Additionally, apron operations are now computerised and stored electronically on PDA mobile devices to cut paper consumption and loading errors, while eco-friendly electric tractors are also used for airside operations to effectively reduce waste and carbon emissions.
In the future, the carrier said it will continue to examine what it can do to meet carbon reduction targets.
According to China Airlines’ website, it currently has nine 777F and eight 747-400F aircraft in its fleet, in addition to 64 passenger aircraft.
China Airlines and Frankfurt Cargo Services extend partnership