European airlines express doubts about renewable fuel targets amid rising costs
- Several European airlines raised concerns regarding the feasibility of meeting EU targets for sustainable aviation fuels by 2030.
- Luis Gallego emphasized that current sustainable aviation fuel production is insufficient and prohibitively expensive.
- Despite these challenges, airlines remain committed to reducing emissions and achieving decarbonization in aviation.
In Brussels on March 27, 2025, European airlines expressed significant concerns about the European Union's goals for aviation fuels to transition to renewable sources by 2030. They highlighted that the production capacity for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) seems inadequate to meet the forthcoming mandates, which require that the composition of fuels already reached 2% at the start of this year, rising to 6% by 2030, and up to 70% by 2050. Luis Gallego, head of the International Airlines Group (IAG), representing British Airways and Iberia, voiced worries about current SAF availability, noting that it is currently three to five times more costly than traditional kerosene. Despite these challenges, he reaffirmed the commitment of the airlines to decarbonize the aviation sector. The European Commission maintains that these ambitious targets are realistic and achievable, trying to push the aviation industry towards a more environmentally sustainable future despite the doubts expressed by airline representatives. The demand for sustainable aviation fuels, however, presents immediate financial and logistical hurdles that could hinder progress towards these environmental initiatives.