United becomes world's first airline to fly on 100 percent sustainable fuel (SAF), operates Boeing 737 Max

United's Boeing 737 Max

The US-based carrier United Airlines on Wednesday made aviation history when it operated the first-ever commercial flight on 100 per cent sustainable fuel in one of two engines. The flight operated from Chicago's O'Hare airport to Washington on Wednesday. Sustainable aviation fuels, are jet fuels created from waste products and other sustainable feedstocks that have the potential to reduce emissions by 80 percent.

"Aviation history is cleared for takeoff. The world's first passenger flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is en route to @Reagan_Airport," the company said in a tweet. The jet engine of the aircraft was fuelled with non-petroleum feedstocks, which unlike petroleum use leftovers from agriculture, wood mills and other sources. The flight carrying 100 passengers, operated with one of United's new Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets with 500 gallons of sustainable fuel in one engine and 500 gallons of traditional jet fuel in the other.

Sustainable aviation fuels have the potential to deliver the same performance of petroleum-based jet fuel with a fraction of the carbon footprint. "Today's SAF flight is not only a significant milestone for efforts to decarbonize our industry, but when combined with the surge in commitments to produce and purchase alternative fuels, we're demonstrating the scalable and impactful way companies can join together and play a role in addressing the biggest challenge of our lifetimes," United CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement.

The fuel was supplied by World Energy, North America's only commercial biofuel producer. United says it agreed to purchase nearly twice as much sustainable aviation fuel as any other airline.