Viva Aerobus makes its 1st flight with sustainable fuel

Yesterday at 3:30 p.m., with 186 passengers on board, the first Viva Aerobus flight with sustainable fuel took off from Los Angeles International Airport, bound for Guadalajara, Jalisco, which will travel more than 2,200 kilometers.

It is a fuel supplied by the Finnish company Neste, a global leader in the production of renewable energy for the aviation sector, and produced from renewable waste and residual raw materials, such as animal fat residues. This will be the first of more "green" flights as Viva Aerobus agreed to develop a long-term commercial agreement with Neste for the purchase of one million liters of this energy.

Flight VB 511 had 35% sustainable fuel, which reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% compared to traditional fossil fuel. That is, 7,200 liters of fuel were required, of which 2,520 were sustainable. In this way, with this flight alone, Viva avoided the emission of 6.3 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to the CO2 emission of one person over a year.

"At Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), we are leading the industry's transition to a more sustainable future through a robust plan to achieve zero emissions, and that includes working with airlines and our partners to make greater use of sustainable fuel," said Justin. Erbacci, CEO of LAWA. “We are excited to see the demand for this sustainable fuel grow at Los Angeles International Airport and thank Viva Aerobus for being at the forefront of adopting this product.”

Likewise, during the flight and with the aim of raising awareness among passengers about environmental care, they were given a recycled cotton bag and a certificate of their participation in this first green flight of the airline. This certificate is made on seed paper, which will allow passengers to plant it so they can enjoy the growth of a plant.

"We are proud to work hand in hand with Neste on the path to decarbonizing the airline industry. In 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the emissions generated by this industry represented 2.8% of global emissions according to the International Energy Agency. At Viva we take this call to the sector very seriously and we must work as a team to implement emission reduction measures in the short and medium term," said Juan Carlos Zuazua, General Director of Viva Aerobus.

In celebration of this new commitment of the airline with the environment, Viva Aerobus revealed that it will name one of its Airbus A321 aircraft with a design alluding to its environmental culture The Future is Green. This plane will be ready in the coming months and will cross the skies making around 2,000 flights a year to become an ambassador of sustainability by generating a visual reminder of the importance of protecting planet Earth.

In this regard, it should be added that the Airbus A321 are highly eco-efficient aircraft. Thanks to the latest generation technology of its Pratt & Whitney engines, aerodynamic advances, capacity for 240 passengers and innovations in the cabin, they offer a 15% reduction in fuel consumption and significantly reduce the noise footprint.

All these tasks that seek to reduce the carbon footprint respond to the commitments made by the airline. Viva established the goal of reducing its CO2 emissions per passenger/kilometer by more than 15% by 2025. In this way, Viva Aerobus works to strengthen itself as the greenest airline in Mexico given that, to date, it has the lower number of CO2 emissions per passenger in the country thanks to its operational efficiency and its fleet, the youngest in Mexico.