The airline’s service from Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport to Hong Kong on 21 March will be powered using a 50:50 blend of traditional jet fuel and biofuel made from used cooking oil.
The flight will be operated by an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, and Dragonair said it expects to save approximately 25 tonnes of CO2 emissions compared to a regular flight.
As well as being a first for Dragonair, this will also be the first time any international commercial flight has been operated from mainland China using biofuel.
“This Dragonair flight is taking place as part of the Cathay Pacific Group’s drive to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable aviation biofuels, which will form a key part of its strategy for achieving a corporate target of carbon-neutral growth from 2020,” the airline said in a statement.
Last year, Cathay Pacific invested in US-based biofuel developer, Fulcrum BioEnergy, which will supply the airline with 1.42 billion litres of sustainable aviation fuel over 10 years.
As part of the aviation industry’s broader goals, Cathay is aiming to achieve carbon neutral growth from 2020.
