Biofuel-powered commercial flight debuts in Colombia

LAN airlines
LAN Airlines, based in the Chilean capital of Santiago, opened its first biofuel-powered flight in March 2012. Image: www.news.cn

Airline LAN Colombia on Wednesday carried out the South American country’s first biofuel-powered commercial flight, opening a new chapter in its bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The flight, which took some 170 passengers from the capital to Cali, a city in southwestern Colombia, was a “milestone,” said Ignacio Cueto, CEO of LAN Airlines, the parent company of LAN Colombia.

“LAN aims to develop sustainable biofuels for commercial flights that have high potential … in South America, and this is undoubtedly another significant sign for the industry’s future,” Cueto said.

“The renewable energy sources play a significant role in global aviation and will increasingly mark the decision-making in the sector, and in our company,” the LAN chief added.

The Bogota-Cali route, said Cueto, was specifically chosen in recognition of Cali’s role in pioneering biofuels production.

LAN Airlines, based in the Chilean capital of Santiago, opened its first biofuel-powered flight in March 2012, which flies between Santiago and Concepcion, another Chilean city.

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