Despite criticism of his performance, Qantas has decided to try to turn his luck around by presenting an important and impressive plan.
Despite criticism of its recent performance, including low punctuality and flight cancellation figures, Qantas is trying to turn its fortunes around with a major announcement today.
The airline has submitted a US $ 200 million (AUD $ 288) deal with aviation giant Airbus to accelerate a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry in Australia. The fuel would be made from agricultural waste and raw materials.
The agreement is in line with Qantas’ goal of using 10% SAF in its fuel mix by 2030, which will increase to 60% by 2050, and was announced on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the global airline IATA in Doha.
The five-year agreement will involve investment in SAF initiatives and locally developed and produced raw materials. The airline currently obtains SAF from the UK and US, but says local production is needed to meet emissions targets.
The focus on SAF comes amid expected fuel prices, which are expected to add another $ 1.8 billion to Qantas costs.
The deal comes after the airline placed a multi-million dollar order for Airbus aircraft last month, including the A350-1000 to operate nonstop flights from Australia to New York and London and the selection of the A220 and A321XLR for the renewal of the national fleet. , and lower emission aircraft for its subsidiary Jetstar.
The new fleet will offer a significant reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 25%, and all are already certified to operate with 50% SAF.
Speaking from Doha, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said SAF use is on the rise worldwide and that Australia needs to take action.
“With this investment, Qantas and Airbus are putting our money where our mouths are and betting on the innovation and ingenuity of Australian industry,” Joyce said.
“This investment will help start a local biofuels industry in Australia and is expected to encourage additional investment from governments and other businesses and give more impetus to the industry as a whole.
“It makes a lot of sense for us to put capital into an industry of which we will be the biggest customer.
“We call on other companies and producers to come forward with their biofuel projects. In many cases, this funding will be the difference between some of these ongoing projects.
“The aviation industry also needs the configuration of appropriate policies to ensure that the price of SAF goes down over time so that the cost of air travel does not increase.”
Joyce said Qantas has had some “encouraging” discussions with the incoming Australian government, given its strong focus on reducing emissions.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said ensuring a sustainable future for the industry is a priority for Airbus.
“Increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuels will be a key driver for achieving zero net emissions by 2050,” Faury said.
“But we can’t do it without viable industrial systems to produce and market these energy sources at affordable prices and close to key centers around the world.
“This is especially true for a country like Australia, which is geographically distant and heavily dependent on aviation to stay connected both nationally and internationally.”
Australia has been exporting millions of tonnes of canola and animal tallow to other countries for its SAF production.
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