Cebu Pacific’s 1st SAF-powered flight from Narita, Japan, to Manila, Philippines, takes off

Photo: Cebu Pacific

Cebu Pacific announced Oct. 25 that it operated Flight 5J 5055 from Narita, Japan, to Manila, Philippines, powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), making it the first Philippine carrier to use SAF in a commercial flight from Japan.

The leading Philippine carrier’s SAF flight was operated with an Airbus 321neo using 40 percent blended SAF produced by Neste Corp. and supplied by Itochu Corp.

This combination resulted in a 44 percent reduction in carbon emissions per passenger, setting a new record for Cebu Pacific’s SAF-powered flights.

“As we await sufficient SAF supply to meet the demand of the entire aviation industry, this inaugural Narita to Manila SAF flight represents Cebu Pacific’s ongoing efforts toward making air travel more sustainable,” said Alexander Lao, president and chief commercial officer at Cebu Pacific. “Other decarbonization programs that we have put in place include investing in fuel-efficient neos, optimization of flight plans, and adoption of fuel-efficiency best practices to minimize fuel consumption. All these are concrete sustainability initiatives that bolster our commitment and support for the aviation industry’s goal of flying net-zero by 2050.”

Itochu, which acts as the branded distributor of SAF in Japan, lauded the collaboration.

“We look forward to partnering with Cebu Pacific as we strive towards sustainable aviation,” said Atsushi Onishi, a senior officer of Itochu’s energy division. “Our collaboration underscores the growing demand for SAF in the Asia-Pacific region and we are ready to meet that need.”

Passengers on the inaugural flight were part of the celebration, receiving commemorative tokens and engaging in in-flight activities.

The initiative was also warmly welcomed by Narita International Airport.

“We are honored that Cebu Pacific has chosen Narita International Airport for this initiative,” said Toshio Tashiro, executive officer of Narita International Airport. “Being one of the select airlines to mount SAF flights in Japan, Cebu Pacific’s commitment to sustainability is commendable.”

Prior to the commercial flight, Cebu Pacific signed a strategic partnership with Neste to work towards establishing a long-term supply of SAF across Asia Pacific.

This initiative aligns with the airline’s sustainability goal to gradually integrate SAF into its operations, thereby reducing its carbon-emissions footprint and promoting environmental consciousness.

Cebu Pacific operated its first passenger flight powered by SAF in September 2022 from Singapore to Manila, making it the first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia to incorporate SAF in its commercial operation.

The airline aims to integrate blended SAF for its entire commercial network by 2030.