Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines' leading airline, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with sustainable aviation fuel producer (SAF) Neste to explore the supply and purchase of the fuel in Asia Pacific. 

SAF, an alternative fuel made from sustainable feedstocks, holds significant potential to reduce carbon emissions of air travel by up to 80% over the fuel's life cycle compared to using conventional jet fuel.  

"Carbon emissions are a pressing concern in the aviation industry. To this end, Cebu Pacific has laid out initiatives to address our emissions footprint, with a primary focus on integrating SAF into its operations. This will consequently minimize the environmental impact generated from our flights," said Alex Reyes, chief strategy officer of Cebu Pacific.

In a statement, it noted that CEB's partnership with Neste signifies its steadfast commitment to minimizing its environmental impact and providing more sustainable travel for its passengers.

This initiative aligns with the global aviation industry's long-term aspirational goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

"Sustainable aviation fuel is a readily available solution for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from air travel. We are proud that we are going to support Cebu Pacific's commitment to reduce their environmental impact by using our Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel, and we look forward to building cooperation with CEB in the future,” said Sami Jauhiainen, acting executive vice president of the Renewable Aviation business unit at Neste. 

In September 2022, CEB operated its first passenger flight powered by blended SAF from Singapore to Manila.

CEB said this made the carrier the "first low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia" and the first Philippine airline to incorporate SAF in its commercial operations.

Building on this success, the airline has announced another upcoming SAF-powered commercial flight from Narita (Tokyo) to Manila on October 25, 2023. 

CEB aims to transition to an all-NEO fleet by 2028 and will incorporate the use of blended SAF for its entire commercial network by 2030.