The national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain Gulf Air recently flew its first transcontinental lower emission Boeing 787-9 aircraft, media reports said. The flight was operated using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The aircraft flew from Bahrain to London, UK, on March 26, 2021.
Even though Sustainable Aviation Fuels are very costly at this moment, carriers worldwide are carrying out trials as they look to reduce their environmental impact.
Captain Waleed Al Alawi, acting chief executive of Gulf Air told the media, “This lower emission flight marks the beginning of our journey into our future strategy to explore the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in our aircraft and standing by our commitment to lower our carbon emissions… We are exploring potentials and possibilities of the use of sustainable aviation fuel for a better tomorrow for the generations to come and for our planet.”
Earlier this year, Gulf Air expanded its codeshare agreement with UAE-based carrier Etihad Airways. Both parties have signed a Strategic Commercial Cooperation Agreement (SSCA) which is subject to regulatory approval.
The new agreement will allow both Etihad and Gulf Air to optimise connectivity and schedules for flights between Abu Dhabi and the Kingdom of Bahrain. It will also help develop a seamless customer experience when traveling between Abu Dhabi and the Kingdom.
The agreement was signed by Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer at Etihad Aviation Group, and Captain Waleed AlAlawi, Gulf Air’s Acting chief executive officer.