Korean Air used domestically produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the first time on flight KE719 from Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Haneda, on Aug 30. Korean Air is the first Korean carrier to operate commercial flights partially powered by SAF produced in the country.
A special ceremony held at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on the occasion was attended by Sangwoo Park, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT); Dukgeun Ahn, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; Sanghyup Kim, Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Commission Co-Chairman; Keehong Woo, President, Korean Air; Hakjae Lee, President, Incheon International Airport Corporation; Jonghoon Oh, President, SK Energy; and Anwar A. Al-Hejazi, CEO, S-Oil.
From today until July 2025, Korean Air will utilize a 1% SAF blend for flight KE719 from Seoul Incheon to Tokyo Narita, once a week. This route will serve as a starting point for the airline's domestic SAF program, with plans to gradually expand SAF usage to medium- and long-haul routes.
The SAF used on this route is supplied by two leading Korean energy companies: S-Oil and SK Energy. S-Oil will provide the SAF for the first six months, followed by SK Energy for the remaining period. S-Oil produces SAF from used cooking oil, while SK Energy utilizes a combination of used cooking oil and animal fats. Both companies' SAF products have been certified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), ensuring they meet international sustainability standards.
Korea is laying the groundwork for SAF market growth. In 2022, MOLIT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the "Eco-friendly Biofuel Expansion Plan" to establish quality and production standards for domestically produced SAF. In August this year, the government amended the "Petroleum and Alternative Fuel Business Act" to permit the use of eco-friendly materials in petroleum refining processes.
Korean Air has been implementing SAF in its operations since 2017 when it first used SAF for a passenger flight from Chicago to Seoul Incheon. The airline has since expanded its SAF usage to cargo routes from Oslo and Stockholm to Seoul Incheon, and passenger flights between Paris to Seoul Incheon. In 2023, Korean Air conducted six test flights as part of a government-led SAF demonstration research project, contributing data towards the development of domestic SAF quality and production standards.
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