Sustainable fuels specialist LanzaJet has this week unveiled the world’s first ethanol-to-SAF production facility. The Freedom Pines Fuels plant is backed by British Airways and supported by the likes of All Nippon Airways and Microsoft, and is located in the US state of Georgia. LanzaJet has claimed the new facility will serve as a ‘blueprint’ to scale up the production of SAF globally, with an aim of producing produce one billion gallons of SAF by 2030.
In further sustainability news, the European Commission has recommended a 90% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2040, on the path to climate neutrality by 2050. A legislative proposal will be made in June, with measures including the full implementation of the already agreed target to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
In the Middle East, Dubai has welcomed a record-breaking 17.15 million international visitors in 2023, marking a 19.4% year-on-year increase. The GCC and MENA regions represented 28% of visitors, with Western Europe and South Asia contributing 19% and 18% respectively. The 2023 figures exceed the previous record of 16.73 million visitors, which was recorded in 2019.
In corporate travel news, a report published by Globetrender and Cytric Easy has identified key business travel trends for 2024. According to the report, corporate travellers are prioritising value and sustainability above all else, with blended itineraries and teambuilding getaways also on the rise.
And finally, passengers were kept entertained during a five-hour flight delay, when a pint-sized passenger stole the show by belting out Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” for all to enjoy. With lyrics like “goodbye everybody, I got to go!” the toddler had her fellow travellers in stitches. Users on Reddit, where the video was posted, lauded her performance, proving that on occasion flight delays can be memorable for the right reasons.