China Eastern Airlines receives new A320neo with 5% SAF

In China, Airbus has opened a new sustainable aviation chapter in China as an A320neo for China Eastern Airlines – powered by a five percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) fuel blend – took off for the first time from its Airbus Delivery Centre in Tianjin.

The SAF for the delivery flights in China is produced locally from used cooking oil by SINOPEC Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company, a state-owned manufacturer in China. It is the first batch of Chinese SAF made by the only certified Chinese facility.

Currently, all Airbus commercial aircraft are capable of flying with an up to 50 percent SAF blend mixed with kerosene and are targeted to be capable for 100 percent SAF use in flight by the end of this decade. Since March 2021, Airbus has successfully accomplished 100 percent SAF test flights on A319neo, A350 and A380 aircraft.