National carrier vows to adopt sustainable aviation fuel
Thai Airways International (THAI) is embracing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with state support to reduce airline costs and comply with global aviation regulations, all under the theme of sustainability.
Speaking at a seminar on aviation and tourism sustainability, THAI CEO Chai Eamsiri, emphasised the need for the airline to align with International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes adopting Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to support sustainable aviation.
The airline will gradually increase the use of SAF, targeting 2% by 2025, 5% by 2030, and 60% by 2050. Using SAF in just 1% of its operations will increase the airline's annual expenses by 1.5 billion baht, and 10% would equate to 15 billion baht. Therefore, the government must promote and incentivize SAF support policies, he said.
Chai also outlined THAI’s sustainability policy, which focuses on three major aspects:
1. 'From planes to planet': How to give back to the planet.
2.' From waste to wealth': Turning waste into a better quality of life.
3. 'From purple to purpose': How to make the airline more purpose-driven and efficient.
He also mentioned Thai Airways’ plans to introduce a new inflight tableware set made from recycled plastic bottles, a sustainable initiative to contribute to reducing global warming.
