AIX Connect to operate its first flight using sustainable aviation fuel: AI CEO Wilson
May 19, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 19 : Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said Air Asia India, named AIX Connect, will operate its first flight using a blend of Indian-produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) between Pune and Delhi on Friday.
In a letter to the airline employees, the CEO said, "On the sustainability front, our colleagues at Air Asia India will operate the first flight using a blend of Indian-produced Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) between Pune and Delhi today."
AirAsia India currently operates 19 domestic destinations. It became a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Group last November.
He added, "It's a small but important step, together with our fleet modernisation, efficiency-improvement and other initiatives, toward realising our (and our industry's) goal of net-zero emissions by 2050."
The CEO also lauded the recruitment and training teams for the tremendous effort in hiring more than 500 pilots, 2,400 cabin crew and 1,000 other staff across Air India and AIX Connect since the start of the year.
He also wrote in the letter, "We also saw our 1,000th new cabin crew of the year commence operational duties. Our teams have done a great job ramping up our recruitment and training capabilities, travelling the country and grooming the new Air Indians we need to take us higher. They've done, and continue to do, a great job! And, of course, a very warm welcome to our new colleagues!"
Campbell also wrote about awareness of mental health, saying, "You may also have seen items on workplace or around the offices raising awareness of mental health as part of Wellness Week."
In addition, he said there were also sessions on yoga, meditation, webinars, and in-person activities at several locations. "As well as raising awareness, we want to reduce any stigma around seeking help, as all of us need support now and then," he added.
Full-service carrier Vistara on May 4 became the first Indian airline to operate a commercial domestic flight on a wide-body aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
According to the airline, this historic feat was achieved on Vistara's brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, flying from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi, to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, using a blend of 17 per cent SAF with 83 per cent conventional jet fuel.
