Virgin to conduct ‘world’s first net-zero transatlantic flight’

Flight likely to take place towards end of 2023 with no fare-paying passengers on board

A Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. PA

Virgin Atlantic is set to operate the world’s first “net zero” transatlantic flight, the Department for Transport has announced.

The airline has received £1 million ($1.2 million) from the UK government to fly a Boeing 787 jet from London Heathrow to New York JFK next year using sustainable aviation fuel instead of kerosene.

Virgin Atlantic and its partners are putting in similar funding.

The sustainable aviation fuel is expected to be produced mainly from waste oil and fat, such as used cooking oil.

It reduces carbon emissions by more than 70 per cent compared with kerosene.

The use of the fuel combined with carbon removal credits will make the flight net-zero, the department said.

The flight is likely to take place towards the end of 2023 with no fare-paying passengers on board.

World's Best Airlines 2022 - in pictures

1. Singapore Airlines. Reuters

2. Japan's Al Nippon Airways. AFP

3. Korean Air. AFP

4. Qatar Airways. AP Photo

5. India's Vistara. Photo: Vistara

6. Hainan Airlines, China. PA Photo

7. Finnair. Reuters

8. Ethiopian Airlines. Reuters

9. Emirates. Photo: Emirates

10. Aegean Airlines. Reuters

10. Thai AirAsia. Reuters

Commercial flights can only use the fuel if it is blended with standard aviation fuel at up to 50 per cent.

“For decades, flying from London to New York has symbolised aviation’s ability to connect people and drive international progress," Transport Secretary Mark Harper said.

“It’s now going to be at the forefront of cutting carbon emissions from flying.

“Not only will this flight pave the way for future generations, but it will demonstrate just how much we can achieve when we work together on a shared goal, bringing together some of the best businesses and academics in the world and led by a British airline.”

The government believes sustainable aviation fuel is crucial to decarbonising aviation, and has an ambition under the Jet Zero Strategy for at least five commercial-scale production plants to be under construction in the UK by 2025.

But the green fuel is several times more expensive to produce than kerosene.

The world's top 20 airlines 2022 - in pictures

Qatar Airways retained its title to be named Airline of the Year in the Skytrax 2022 awards. AP

Singapore Airlines was second. Reuters

Dubai carrier Emirates was third. AP Photo

ANA All Nippon Airways from Japan was fourth. AFP

Australia's Qantas Airways was fifth. Reuters

Japan Airlines was sixth. Bloomberg

Turkish Airlines was seventh. EPA

Air France was eighth. EPA

Korean Air was ninth. AFP

Swiss International Air Lines rounded out the top 10. EPA

British Airways was 11th. Reuters

Etihad Airways broke into the top 20 at 12th. Getty Images

China Southern was 13th. Unsplash / Scarbor Siu

China's Hainan Airlines was 14th. PA Photo

Germany's national carrier Lufthansa was 15h. AFP

Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways was 16th. EPA

The Netherland's KLM was 17th. Reuters

Taiwan's EVA Air was 18th. EPA

UK carrier Virgin Atlantic was 19th. PA

Indian carrier Vistara was 20th. Photo: Vistara

It is hoped the London to New York Virgin Atlantic flight will demonstrate the viability of 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel-powered flights.

“This challenge recognises the critical role that SAF has to play in decarbonising aviation and the urgent collective action needed to scale production and use of SAF globally," said Virgin Atlantic chief executive Shai Weiss.

“The research and results will be a huge step in fast-tracking SAF use across the aviation industry and support the investment, collaboration and urgency needed to produce SAF at scale.

“Our collective ambition of net zero by 2050 depends on it.”

Worst airlines for UK flight delays - in pictures

1. Hungarian airline Wizz Air is the worst airline for UK flight delays in 2021, according to a new report, with an average delay time of 14 minutes, 24 seconds. Reuters

2. Tui Airways ranked second with 13 minutes, 18 seconds. Reuters

3. British Airways' UK flights took off an average of 12 minutes and 42 seconds behind schedule.

4. Virgin Atlantic ranked fourth with a typical delay time of 12 minutes on flights from the UK.

5. Scottish airline Loganair ranks fifth, with UK flights taking off an average of 11 minutes and 30 seconds after scheduled departure times. Photo: Loganair / Twitter

6. Air France's UK flights recorded an 11-minute, 12-second average delay time. EPA

7. Travellers flying with German airline Lufthansa faced an average 10-minute delay on UK flights. AFP

8. KLM's UK flights typically departed eight minutes and 42 seconds late. Reuters

9. A China Eastern airlines jet. The airline averaged seven minutes, 48 seconds delays on UK flights. EPA

10. Jet2 had an average delay time of seven minutes, 42 seconds.

EasyJet and Ryanair both had low delay times on UK flights. Bloomberg

Irish airline Aer Lingus had the lowest average delay times on flights from the UK in 2021. Reuters