Finland-headed oil refiner and renewable products major Neste Oyj has announced that it and Viva Aerobus, the Mexican ultra-low-cost air carrier, have signed a new purchase agreement for one million litres of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
The sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplied to Viva Aerobus will be blended with conventional jet fuel and used to power the airline’s flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California (CA), the United States (US) to Guadalajara (GDL), Mexico City (MEX), and Monterrey International Airport (MTY) in Mexico.
Last year, on June 15, Viva Aerobus completed its first flight powered by Neste’s SAF from Los Angeles to Guadalajara, and the current agreement is the next step in fulfilling the airline’s mission of further reducing its carbon emissions.
The SAF-powered flights will start to take off in the second half of 2023 with each flight using a fuel blend with about 35 percent of Neste MY SAF.
The total volume of SAF purchased will help Viva Aerobus reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 2 415 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq), calculated based on fossil jet fuel life cycle emissions of 3.9 tonnes CO2eq per tonne jet fuel and a reduction of GHG emissions of up to 80 percent by replacing fossil fuel with neat SAF.
We are thrilled to team up with Viva Aerobus, a fast-growing airline, and support their commitment to minimizing the carbon footprint of their flights with our Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Los Angeles International Airport is an important hub for Viva Aerobus travelers to fly between the US and Mexico, and this partnership will make their trips more sustainable, building on Neste’s capabilities to supply SAF to airlines at one of the busiest airports in the US and the world, said Michael Sargeant, VP Americas from the Renewable Aviation business unit at Neste.
In addition to purchasing Neste’s SAF, Viva’s recent efforts to contribute to a more sustainable Mexican air industry include Viva being the airline with the youngest aircraft fleet in Mexico equipped with fuel-efficient technology, implementing the first program in Mexico aimed to separate and recycle onboard waste, and the launching of its voluntary carbon offset program.
We embrace the goal to reduce our carbon footprint, a goal that requires an extensive commitment. We are proud to increase the use of SAF, partnering with Neste, and we will also continue to take further steps in adhering to best practices in sustainability such as optimizing our fuel efficiency. We deeply thank Neste for supporting us on our journey towards becoming a more eco-friendly carrier, said Juan Carlos Zuazua, CEO of Viva Aerobus.
