Heathrow’s ‘Fly Up’ Breakfast Raises Awareness of Sustainable Aviation Fuel
- Heathrow partners with Heston Blumenthal’s Perfectionists’ Cafe to create a special new full English
- Biofuel breakfast launched to increase understanding of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
- SAF is single biggest driver to help Heathrow reach Net Zero by 2050
- Only 14 per cent of travellers have heard of SAF
- Heathrow calls on government to mandate SAF use and introduce a price support mechanism
(IN SHORT) Heathrow Airport has launched a groundbreaking breakfast called “The Fly Up” in collaboration with Heston Blumenthal’s Perfectionists’ Café to raise awareness of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The breakfast, cooked with oil that is recycled into renewable biofuels, aims to educate travelers about the importance of SAF in reducing the aviation industry’s carbon footprint. With only 14% of travelers aware of SAF, Heathrow’s initiative underscores its commitment to decarbonizing aviation and achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. The airport’s partnership with EnviroSpark, along with its incentive scheme for SAF use, demonstrates its dedication to sustainability and fostering a greener future for air travel.
(PRESS RELEASE) London, UK, 2024-Mar-13 — /Travel PR News/ — A first of its kind breakfast at Heathrow, named The Fly Up, which is cooked with oil that is then cleaned and recycled into renewable biofuels, has taken off today.
The Heathrow Fly Up has been created in partnership with chef Heston Blumenthal to create awareness of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in response to only 14 per cent[1] of travellers having heard of it, despite the fact it will play a key role in reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation industry. In the UK aviation sector’s latest net zero roadmap, SAF is the single biggest innovation that will help it hit its Net Zero target by 2050.
Heathrow is committed to decarbonising, and biofuels have a key role to play in its Net Zero plan. On the ground, Heathrow has made the switch to HVO biodiesel with over 95 per cent of its operational diesel fleet now run on the fuel. It is a global airport leader on SAF – setting a goal for 11 per cent of the jet fuel used at Heathrow to be SAF by 2030. Heathrow’s pioneering Sustainable Aviation Fuel scheme incentivises the use of SAF at the airport, approximately halving the price gap between conventional jet fuel and SAF, making it more affordable to airlines. Thanks, in part to this scheme, approximately 10 per cent of the world’s SAF was used at Heathrow in 2022.[2]
The scheme aims to target 2.5% of all fuel used at Heathrow to be SAF in 2024. If achieved, this will amount to up to 155,000 tonnes of fuel. It is a key part of Heathrow’s ongoing efforts to protect the benefits of aviation while building a more sustainable future for the industry.
To help reach Net Zero by 2050, the airport’s shorter term goal is to cut carbon from the air by up to 15 per cent, and on the ground at the airport by at least 45 per cent, by the end of this decade. These goals have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative[3] as consistent with a 1.5 degree carbon reduction trajectory – Heathrow was the first airport to achieve this validated status with the updated 1.5 degrees standard[4].
SAF is a fuel with a significantly smaller carbon footprint compared to traditional jet fuel and is made from a variety of sources, including used cooking oils[5]. It can be used in aircraft engines alongside regular fuel and the UK aviation sector projects that it will account for around 40 per cent of the aviation industry’s total carbon reductions by 2050.
Heathrow works with waste management service Quatra to collect, clean and recycle the used cooking oils from the Fly Up breakfast. Following collection, the cooking oils and fats undergo treatment and purification to remove organic impurities and water. The processed used oil is then forwarded to Quatra’s partners and transformed into biofuels including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
The launch of the Fly Up comes as new research reveals only one quarter (27 per cent) of the UK believe SAF will make the aviation industry more sustainable[6]. Heathrow is actively encouraging passengers to join its efforts in addressing aviation’s carbon emissions by using climate tech company, CHOOOSE. The platform gives passengers the option to support SAF or certified reforestation projects regardless of their airline or end destination.
The aim is that this will become more commonplace as people learn about the benefits of SAF. Currently 63 per cent would choose to travel more sustainably if they could, yet nine in 10 flyers are unaware of the purpose of SAF – one of the most important factors in reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation industry.[7]
Matt Gorman, Director of Carbon at Heathrow said: “We are delighted to partner with Heston Blumenthal’s The Perfectionists’ Café to introduce the ‘Fly Up’, a breakfast that not only gives passengers a delicious start to the day but will raise awareness about SAF and its potential to transform this industry. By demonstrating how cooking oils can be converted into biofuels, we want people to understand how SAF is a real solution to decarbonise aviation and show how we’re continuing our mission to get to Net Zero by 2050.
“We know that having the right government policies in place is crucial to making this shift happen. We need a mandate for SAF use, as well as a price support mechanism, to de-risk and incentivise investment in UK SAF facilities.”
Carlos Santos, Head Chef at The Perfectionists’ Cafe said: “This is an exciting partnership that we are thrilled to be part of. The ‘Fly Up’ is made up of the best of British ingredients – a breakfast we’re proud of, and even more so as it signifies a positive step towards a more sustainable future for air travel.”
Karolien De Hertogh, Director Sales U.K. and Ireland at United Airlines said: “At United, we are committed to our goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and believe SAF is the nearest term and most promising solution to decarbonise aviation. United became the first airline globally to use a SAF blend in regular operations and we endeavour to increase its availability and usage by looking beyond existing solutions and investing in future potential research, production and technology solutions associated with SAF. We are an airline that recognises the responsibility we have to help solve climate change and welcome Heathrow’s ‘Fly Up’ to raise awareness of SAF.”[8]
The net zero transition for aviation is happening. Heathrow has a clear plan and is working hard to deliver against our ambitious 2030 carbon reduction goals. United was one of the participating airlines in Heathrow’s SAF incentive programme, having received a blend of SAF and conventional jet fuel at the airport in 2023. In November last year, Heathrow celebrated the first ever transatlantic 100% SAF flight flown by a commercial airline, Virgin Atlantic. Its financial incentive to airlines to use SAF more is targeting the equivalent of over 340,000 tonnes of carbon cut from flights. £71m is available to airlines to support the swap to cleaner fuels.
Travellers can learn more about SAF, the role it plays in driving the aviation industry towards decarbonising, and how they can support Heathrow’s push to create a domestic UK SAF industry by visiting www.heathrow.com/SAF.
[1] Opinium Research surveyed 2,000 UK adults about Sustainable Aviation Fuel between 6th – 9th February 2024. The survey was weighted to be nationally representative.
[2] This percentage assumes global production in 2022 was c.240,000 tonnes, or 300 million litres, as cited by IATA (IATA – SAF Volumes Growing but Still Missing Opportunities)Sustainable fuel conversions : Aviation: Benefits Beyond Borders (aviationbenefits.org)
[3] See notes to editors.
[4] This dashboard shows all the companies committed to the adjusted 1.5 target: Companies taking action – Science Based Targets. Heathrow announced its progress in March 2023: A year of progress recorded for Heathrow’s sustainability strategy.
[5] Source: atag-beginners-guide-to-saf-edition-2023.pdf (aviationbenefits.org).
[6] Opinium Research – see footnote 1.
[7] Opinium Research – see footnote 1.
[8] United has purchased a SAF blend at various airports including LHR, but SAF supply at any particular airport is subject to change. United is not currently purchasing or receiving SAF at LHR. SAF is less than 0.1% of United’s overall fuel use. For further information about United’s environmental impact, review our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Corporate Responsibility Report, available at ir.united.com and crreport.united.com.
Notes to Editors
About Heathrow
Heathrow is Europe’s largest airport and has reclaimed a spot as one of the top 5 largest airports in the world and second largest for international travellers. The airport is home to more than 80 airlines and is Britain’s most valuable cargo port, helping to drive British trade growth by connecting the nation to more than 200 destinations around the world. Heathrow was recently ranked as ‘Best Airport in Europe’ at the Business Traveller Awards 2023.
About Heathrow’s Sustainability Strategy
Heathrow’s sustainability strategy Heathrow 2.0 can be accessed in full here:
https://www.heathrow.com/company/about-heathrow/heathrow-2-0-sustainability-strategy
Heathrow’s 2023 Sustainability Report can be found here:
About the Science Based Targets Initiative
The Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) is a partnership between World Wildlife Fund (WWF), UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and the Carbon Disclosure Project, and established to drive ambitious climate action in the private sector by enabling organisations to set science-based emissions reduction targets.
To achieve SBTi validation, Heathrow has committed to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and scope 3 GHG emissions from upstream transportation and distribution, waste generated in operations, business travel, employee commuting, and downstream leased assets 46.2% by 2030 from a 2019 base year. Heathrow also commits that 67% of its suppliers by emissions covering purchased goods and services and capital goods, will set science-based targets by 2027. Heathrow further commits that it will engage its airline customers in order that 67% of of customers by emissions set science-based targets by 2027.
(Target boundary includes biogenic emissions and removals from bioenergy)
About Opinium Research
Opinium Research surveyed 2,000 UK adults about Sustainable Aviation Fuel between 6th – 9th February 2024. The survey was weighted to be nationally representative.
About Quatra
Quatra collects and transforms used cooking oils and fats into essential raw materials for biofuels, actively contributing to responsible resource management. As Europe’s largest collector of used cooking oil, Quatra accelerates the transition to sustainable energy and mass CO₂ reduction. Quatra serves over 130,000 customers across a diverse range of sectors. From restaurants and hotels to schools, hospitals, supermarkets, and food processing plants, its services extend to municipalities and waste disposal facilities. Quatra currently collects used cooking oil from 18 restaurants across Heathrow. https://uk.quatra.com/sustainability
The used cooking oils from the Fly Up breakfast will be cleaned and recycled by Quatra, the processed oils are then forwarded to Quatra’s various partners for biofuel production. The feedstock used to make any particular batch of SAF can’t be proven to be from Heathrow, therefore the SAF supplied to Heathrow is not necessarily made from the used cooking oils from the Fly Up breakfast.
About CHOOOSE Platform
CHOOOSE, a leading climate tech company, provides digital solutions to enable multi-faceted decarbonization programs in hard to abate sectors, including aviation, shipping, and logistics. The CHOOOSE platform empowers large enterprises and their customers to understand their carbon footprints, to make more carbon-informed decisions, and to support diverse climate solutions. Learn more at www.chooose.today.
About The Perfectionists’ Café
Located in London Heathrow’s Terminal 2 – The Queens Terminal, The Perfectionists’ Café in essence is the realisation of that journey. It’s about putting some of these culinary discoveries into practice, and harnessing the excitement of that journey for the diner. Serving Fish and Chips, Hamburgers, The Full English Breakfast, Wood Fired Neapolitan style pizza, and a futuristic nitrogen ice cream parlor. Here we serve fantastic food…fast! Food that not only suits being cooked quickly, it’s all the better for it.
The photos of the Fly Up breakfast are indicative only and may not accurately represent the product as bought. Aeroplane-shaped toast is unavailable.
About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UAL”.
Media Contact:
media_centre@heathrow.com
(0)20 8745 7224
Source: Heathrow Airport
###