Air France-KLM increases alternative fuel deal with TotalEnergies

Air France-KLM has signed an agreement with TotalEnergies, a France-based fuel producer, to purchase up to an additional 1.5 million tons of alternative aviation fuel over a 10-year period, until 2035.

The commitment is in addition to the 800,000 tons of alternative aviation fuel Air France-KLM agreed to buy in 2022 and marks one of the largest such purchase agreements signed by the group to date.

The alternative aviation fuel – commonly referred to as ‘sustainable’ aviation fuel or SAF – will be produced in TotalEnergies’ French and European biorefineries and used for flights departing from France, the Netherlands and across Europe, the airline group said.

Air France-KLM Group CEO, Benjamin Smith, said: “Securing the volumes of more sustainable aviation fuel needed to decarbonise our activity is a major challenge. This agreement with TotalEnergies is a further step in this direction, and a testament to our long-standing support for the development of SAF production in France and Europe.”

The group, which has also signed alternative fuel purchase agreements with Neste and US producer DG fuels, plans to cut carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. This includes using at least 10 per cent alternative aviation fuel to power flights, alongside renewing its fleet with more efficient aircraft and eco-piloting.

Commenting on the extended partnership, TotalEnergies CEO and chairman Patrick Pouyanné added: “SAF contributes both to the energy transition of our customers in the aviation sector and to the industrial transition of our refineries. It therefore represents a real ‘win-win’ for the future of industry and aviation.”

• See more on alternative aviation fuels in BTN Europe’s recently published report Navigating towards net zero.