Etihad Airways takes giant strides in sustainable flying

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad, too, has been taking leaps in sustainable flying. It unveiled its new Airbus A350-1000 on a special commercial flight from Abu Dhabi to Paris in March last year. The aircraft was the first A350 to be operated by a UAE airline. The aircraft, named Sustainability50, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, is one of the most efficient aircraft types in the world, with 25 per cent less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than previousgeneration twin aisle aircraft.

In April, the airline announced that it will undertake a week of intensive research and testing on over 30 flights to test operational efficiencies, technology and procedures that will reduce carbon emissions.

The programme tested contrail avoidance technologies in partnership with SATAVIA, a UK-based green aerospace company. By May,

Etihad had successfully performed the world’s most intensive sustainable flight testing programme, operating 42 flights in its quest for lower carbon emissions. It also included 22 contrail prevention flights.

Environmental Airline of the Year

In July, Etihad’s Airbus A350-1000 touched down in New York. In the same month, Etihad was named ‘Environmental Airline of the Year 2022’ in the annual Airline Ratings awards.

In November, the first Etihad flight to use SAF supplied by ITOCHU Corporation and Neste took off from Tokyo Narita airport, making Etihad the first international airline to procure SAF in Japan. The flight operated on around a 40 per cent blend of SAF, representing the first delivery of some 50,000 gallons of the special fuel. It was also first time a non-Japanese airline used SAF supplied in Japan.