Hong Kong-based Dragonair, a member of the Cathay Pacific Group, will operate its first-ever commercial flight using a certified sustainable biofuel blend later this month.

The KA859 service from Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport to Hong Kong on 21 March will take off with the aircraft tanks filled with a 50-50 blend of petroleum-based jet fuel and bio-based jet fuel, refined from 100% used cooking oil as feedstock.

Based on industry norms, it is anticipated that with the use of a sustainable biofuel blend, CO2 emissions for this flight will be reduced by approximately 25 tonnes.

The flight will be operated by a Dragonair Airbus A330-300 powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines. It will be a regular commercial service, with paying passengers on board, and will not require any special handling or monitoring.

The biofuel is fully certified and manufactured in accordance with international standards.

As well as being a first for Dragonair, this will also be the first time any international/regional commercial flight has been operated from Mainland China using a biofuel blend.

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.