Heathrow Airport, in partnership with Heston Blumenthal’s The Perfectionists’ Cafe, is offering a breakfast named the Fly Up cooked with oil that will be recycled into renewable biofuels.
This £15.95 meal aims to raise awareness of sustainable aviation fuel (Saf), made from sources like used cooking oil and agricultural waste to reduce carbon emissions by about 70pc in production.
Only 14pc of English adults are aware of Saf, which can be blended with kerosene up to 50pc and was used in the first transatlantic flight by Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow to New York last year.
Heathrow aims for 11pc of jet fuel used at the airport to be Saf by 2030, with an incentive scheme to bridge the cost gap between conventional fuel and Saf. This initiative showcases the potential of Saf to decarbonise aviation and move towards a more sustainable future for air travel.
Quatra, a waste management service, collects, cleans, and recycles used cooking oils from Heathrow’s Fly Up breakfast, which are then treated and purified to remove impurities and water.
The processed oil is sent to Quatra’s partners to be transformed into biofuels, including SAF and HVO, with Quatra currently collecting used cooking oil from 18 restaurants at the airport.
SAF, made from sources like used cooking oils, is projected to contribute to 40pc of the aviation industry’s total carbon reduction by 2050, with Heathrow viewing it as a crucial innovation to help achieve the Westminster government’s net zero target by 2050.
Matt Gorman, director of carbon at Heathrow, emphasizes the importance of SAF in decarbonizing aviation and calls for government policies, including a mandate for SAF use and price support mechanisms, to promote investment in SAF facilities.
Heathrow’s partnership with The Perfectionists’ Cafe aims to raise awareness of SAF and sustainable air travel, with the airport targeting SAF to make up 11pc of jet fuel by 2030 and offering incentives to airlines to use this fuel.
Passengers can support carbon emission reduction efforts by backing SAF or reforestation projects through CHOOOSE’s platform, while Heathrow has already transitioned over 95pc of its diesel fleet to HVO biodiesel on the ground.
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 English 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.”
Matt Gorman, director of carbon strategy at Heathrow said: “the ‘Fly Up’ not only gives passengers a delicious start to the day but will raise awareness about SAF and its potential to transform this industry.”
