Wednesday was a “historic” day for aviation, United Airlines claims.
Boeing 737 MAX 8 flew from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and headed to Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, marking the “world’s first passenger flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).”
Today, United will be the first in aviation history to fly a passenger flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
This flight will serve as a turning point in the industry’s effort to combat climate change. pic.twitter.com/kNOUMdiaNM
— United Airlines (@united) December 1, 2021
At first glance, the statement seems very impressive, but a closer look reveals that it might be an exaggeration.And yes, the Twitterverse has something to say about United’s greenwashing technique.
We’ll turn to Twitter’s snarky comments soon, but first things first: What’s this sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) United is boasting about?
SAF is a clean substitute for fossil jet fuels. Rather than being refined from petroleum, SAF is produced from sustainable feedstock such as cooking oil, solid waste from homes, and even food scraps.
This 2-minute explainer video from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) lays out everything you need to know much better than I ever could:
So SAF is indeed a sustainable alternative and has the potential to cut down 80% of CO2 emissions produced by conventional jet fuel.
Then why Twitter is attacking United Airlines for greenwashing?
1. The plane didn’t actually use 100% SAF
And it’s clear enough if you read the press release, as some of Twitter’s users did.
In fact, one engine was running with 100% SAF and the other with traditional jet fuel.
That’s because the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows for a 50% total of SAT to be used during a flight, United explains.
For this reason, SAF is basically employed by airlines as a drop-in fuel that gets blended with the conventional one at a 50-50 ratio. United decided to fly its plane…