Alaska Airlines to fly 75 biofuel flights
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Alaska Airlines will fly 75 commercial passenger flights in the US powered by biofuel. Starting today, Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, will fly from Seattle to Washington DC and Portland using a 20% blend of sustainable biofuel made from used cooking oil.
“This is a historic week for US aviation. The 75 flights that Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air will fly over the next few weeks reflect our longstanding commitment to environmental responsibility and our belief that sustainable biofuels are key to aviation’s future,” Alaska Air’s Group Chairman & CEO, Bill Ayer said.
“Commercial airplanes are equipped and ready for biofuels. They will enable us to fly cleaner, foster job growth in a new industry, and can insulate airlines from the volatile price swings of conventional fuel to help make air travel more economical. What we need is an adequate, affordable and sustainable supply. To the biofuels industry, we say: If you build it, we will buy it,” he added.
Alaska Air estimates its biofuel blend will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 10%, or 134 metric tons – the equivalent of taking 26 cars off the road for a year. If the company powered all of its flights with a 20% biofuel blend for one year, the annual emissions savings would represent the equivalent of taking nearly 64,000 cars off the road or providing electricity to 28,000 homes.