Qantas Airways tests biofuel option in view of rising fuel costs

Qantas Airways flights will be operated on biofuel in future if its experiments succeed finally. Australia’s flag carrier has started experimenting with the use of refined cooking oil to power its jets. The airline has taken this significant move to address the ever rising costs of aviation fuel.

Alan Joyce, Chief Executive of Qantas Airways, said that sustainably produced biofuel is vital and its successful search will effectively address this serious problem confronting the global aviation industry now. He said that if this is finally achieved then it would support the sector’s goal to be carbon neutral by the end of the decade.

The airline recently launched the use of the biofuel with a 50-50 mix of jet fuel and refined cooking oil on Flight QF1121 from Sydney to Adelaide. This was Qantas Airway’s first commercial flight that was partly powered by 15,000 liters of used cooking oil. The biofuel powered one engine of the Airbus A300 jet.

Joyce said that the airline is testing the biofuel option because of the ever increasing cost of jet fuel. In 2006-07, crude oil was $65 per barrel, which is now almost $125 per barrel. According to market analysts, the price of crude oil is likely to remain over $100 in the medium term.