The airline said in a statement on Tuesday that it had been hamstrung in recent months by “the availability of new aircraft the affordability and availability of alternative jet fuels.” “It is possible the airline may need to retain its existing fleet for longer than planned due to global manufacturing and supply chain issues that could potentially slow the introduction of newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft into the fleet,” Greg Foran, the airline’s chief executive, said in the statement.
SAF has a lower carbon footprint than traditional jet fuel because it’s made from waste products, where the carbon has already been emitted; or from plants that absorb CO2 as they grow. But at the moment, there is far greater demand than supply of SAF. That was much higher than the 5% reduction target in international aviation emissions by 2030 agreed by 193 countries at a United Nations-backed conference last November.