Vietjet Thailand’s Sustainable Aviation Initiatives
Vietjet Thailand has taken a significant step towards sustainable aviation by becoming the first low-cost Thai carrier to operate flights using a 1% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This move comes as the airline awaits the delivery of more fuel-efficient Boeing 737-8 jets, which have been delayed due to the US government shutdown.
Woranate Laprabang, the chief executive of Vietjet Thailand, announced that the Bangkok-Phu Quoc route began using SAF yesterday. The airline plans to expand the use of this eco-friendly fuel to other routes in the coming year, including flights from Bangkok to Cam Ranh and Danang.
According to Mr. Woranate, SAF can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional A-1 jet fuel. In line with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s standards, the airline aims to achieve a 5% SAF blending across all its routes by 2030. This initiative is expected to cut carbon emissions by 153,000 tonnes over the next six years.
To ensure a stable supply of SAF, Vietjet Thailand plans to sign a memorandum of understanding with PTT Oil and Retail Business Plc. Despite the fact that SAF costs more than twice the price of Jet A-1, Mr. Woranate emphasized that it should not significantly affect passenger airfares, given that the blending portion is only 1%.
Future Fleet Upgrades and Challenges
The airline is set to replace its entire fleet with Boeing B737-8s, which are expected to reduce fuel consumption by over 15% compared to the current Airbus A320s. However, the delivery of these new aircraft has faced multiple delays this year, with the latest setback caused by the US government shutdown, which is now the longest in American history.
Mr. Woranate mentioned that the airline was informed that the first two planes would be delivered this month. These aircraft will require 2-3 weeks for registration and should be ready for operation before Christmas this year. The airline hopes to receive another five aircraft in December and an additional two in January, although this is a month behind schedule.
Looking ahead, Vietjet Thailand expects to receive 13 new planes in the next year, followed by more than 10 jets in 2027 to meet its goal of having 50 aircraft by 2028.
Impact on Passengers and New Routes
The delayed delivery of aircraft has affected thousands of passengers, particularly those on direct routes from Bangkok to Tokyo (Narita) and Osaka. To address this, Mr. Woranate assured that affected passengers would receive full refunds or be rerouted to other connecting flights within the Vietjet network.
In addition to addressing these challenges, Vietjet Thailand plans to launch new flights in the coming months. These include services from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat in December. For India, the airline is planning to introduce services to Ahmedabad and Kolkata. Additionally, a new route to Cam Ranh in Vietnam is scheduled to begin in January next year.