Air France first airline to introduce new biofuel surcharge

The national flag carrier of France today rolled out new ‘biofuel’ surcharge introduced to help the airline to offset the extra expense caused by the use of more costly sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

In today’s message to customers, Air France announced that the new sustainable aviation fuel surcharge of up to €12 ($13.50) per ticket will be added from January 10.

Travelers in economy class will pay between €1 and €4 more while business class customers will be charged between €1.50 and €12 extra, depending on the distance to their destination.

Air France’s Dutch partner, KLM, and low-cost subsidiary Transavia will also implement the surcharge on flights departing from France and the Netherlands. 

Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is between four and eight times more expensive than traditional fuel. It is mainly made from used cooking oil, forestry, and agricultural waste. It allows airlines to cut carbon emissions by 75% compared with kerosene over the lifecycle of the fuel. Air traffic accounts for between 2.5% and 3% of global carbon emissions.

Air France said it was confident that the cost of SAF will drop as more European countries start mass-producing it.

The airline industry aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. A new law that took effect in France on January 1 requires airlines refueling in the country to use at least 1% sustainable fuel in their fuel mix.

Air France, stylized as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. As of 2013 Air France serves 36 destinations in France and operates worldwide scheduled passenger and cargo services to 175 destinations in 78 countries (93 including overseas departments and territories of France).

The airline’s global hub is at Charles de Gaulle Airport with Orly Airport as the primary domestic hub. Air France’s corporate headquarters, previously in Montparnasse, Paris, are located on the grounds of Charles de Gaulle Airport, north of Paris.