Finnish business aviation company Jetflite has become a first mover in offering lower emission private business flights in Finland. Jetflite is committed to sustainable aviation and is now taking the first steps in reducing greenhouse gas emissions with Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel. In its neat form, the fuel helps reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 per cent compared to fossil jet fuel use. The first lower emission flight by Jetflite took place in May 2021.

Jetflite, which belongs to large Finnish industrial conglomerate Wihuri Group, specialises in business flights, group charter and air ambulance. It also manages aircraft and offers air cargo services. Jetflite wants to respond to its clients' need to increase their contribution towards combating climate change as part of the Frankly Wihuri sustainability programme.

”Many of our corporate and public sector customers have sustainability programmes in which they are dedicated to certain emission reductions,” explains head of sales Jan Lindholm. “Charter flights are part of that equation. With our SAF-operated flights, we can now provide our customers a concrete way to reduce emissions and meet their goals. Flying has been challenging during the pandemic due to increased regulation and closed borders. Still, the number of flights has remained high as we can operate evacuation and air ambulance flights. With the vaccinations in place and countries opening up, we predict the need for business aviation to start increasing. During that time, we want to be able to offer lower-emission flights and help our customers to reduce significantly their carbon footprint from business flying. This partnership is important to us because it represents our desire to make a difference in a concrete way, not only in our own charter industry but in the big picture of our planet’s future.”

Jetflite has five aircraft in its fleet, comprising a Gulfstream G150, Falcon 7X and Challenger 350, 604 and 650 based at Helsinki Vantaa airport. The company also has an extensive network of partner operators offering altogether 600 to 700 flights per year, under regular circumstances.

The aviation industry has already taken steps in the right direction by committing to the target of achieving carbon-neutral growth from 2020 onwards. Neste is committed to helping the aviation industry with this target.

Prior to this new cooperation, Neste provided Jetflite’s regular jet fuel. Neste already partners with national carrier Finnair to help it reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by enabling SAF fuelling at Helsinki Vantaa. Therefore, obtaining SAF was a simple adjustment for Jetflite and required no additional investment or systemic changes.

Neste head of sales, marketing and services Tuomas Kulola comments: “Neste and Jetflite have been collaborating for over five years on delivering fuels for flights at Helsinki airport in Finland. This is now our first step in partnering to reduce the carbon footprint of business flights that Jetflite offers. Neste MY SAF is already available in many airports in Europe, North America and Asia, and it's a great pleasure to be able to offer it also to a private business flight operator in Finland. The fuel use provides an immediate solution for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of flying. It's fully compatible with the existing jet engine technology and fuel distribution infrastructure. Therefore, no additional investments or modifications to the aircraft or fuel distribution infrastructure are needed.”

Neste continues to make the sustainable aviation fuel available for airlines but also to businesses, public institutions and other organisations with ambitious climate commitments. The partnership between Neste and Jetflite and the collaboration recently announced with Finnair serve as showcases for other businesses to reduce business air travel emissions.

In the US and Europe, Neste's annual sustainable aviation fuel supply capacity is currently 100,000 tons. With the Singapore refinery expansion on the way, Neste will have the capacity to produce over 1.5 million tons of sustainable aviation fuel in 2023, including the recently announced additional investment in Rotterdam.