Birmingham Airport set to host Thomson biofuel flights

BIRMINGHAM Airport is set to make history by operating the world’s first biofuel powered passenger flight.

Airline Thomson Airways will be fuelling one of its aircraft with sustainable biofuel on the Birmingham to Palma route on July 28.

The move is part of an airline industry and government partnership promoting the wider use of sustainable fuel.

Thomson said it had made a considerable investment in the project but would only give clearance for the flight once stringent tests have been completed and final safety clearance has been received.

If the trial proves successful then weekly flights will follow on the same route, beginning in September.

It is anticipated that the weekly flights will operate for one year from Birmingham to Palma in the summer and Birmingham to Alicante in the winter.

The airline said it placed sustainability in aviation at the top of its priorities and believed if more airlines followed suit they would help the Government achieve its carbon reduction targets, which aim to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2025.

It said sustainable biofuel had the potential to reduce aviation emissions by up to 80% in the long-term.