A New Era of Flight: Commercial Airlines Start Using Bio-Kerosene

Photo courtesy of Dean Morley.

Two European airlines will soon be flying the friendly skies with recycled cooking oil. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Thomson Airways will be using bio-kerosene to power some of their aircrafts.

KLM recently made history as the first airline in the world to operate a commercial flight powered by bio-kerosene. On June 29th, a KLM-owned Boeing 737-800 plane took off from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and flew to Paris with 171 passengers onboard. The airline will begin using the bio-kerosene on more than 200 flights on routes between Amsterdam and Paris beginning in September.

Thomson Airways will also make aviation history as the first British airline to fly passengers using sustainable biofuel. Once final clearance has been granted, the airline will use the biofuel on a flight from England to Palma on July 28th.  Then beginning in September, Thomson will begin weekly flights using the sustainable fuel for about a year.  It is expected the airline will use a different route during the winter months.

Managing Director Chris Browne said, “As sustainable biofuels become more commercially viable, Thomson Airways plans to expand its use of sustainable biofuels across its fleet over the next three years."

Both KLM and Thomson will use a 50-50 blend of Jet A1 fuel and HEFA – hydro-processed esters and fatty acids produced from cooking oil.

Founded in 1919, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the world’s oldest airline still operating under its original name. KLM employs more than 31,000 people. Formerly known as Britannia, Thomson Airways is touted as the world’s “largest holiday airline” and flies to more than 80 destinations around the globe.