Air Busan, First Regional Airport to Commercially Operate 'Sustainable Aviation Fuel SAF'

Starting from the 1st, 1% SAF Blend Used Once a Week for a Year on the Busan-Matsuyama Route
Eco-Friendly, High-Efficiency A321neo Aircraft Operation Reduces Annual Carbon Emissions by 40,000 Tons

Air Busan (CEO Jung Byung-seop) is starting commercial operations using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the first time at a regional airport.

Air Busan A321neo aircraft.

On the 1st, Air Busan will conduct SAF refueling, an eco-friendly alternative fuel, on flight BX134 on the Busan?Matsuyama route, marking its first operation. From that day until February 2026, Air Busan plans to use SAF blended at 1% of the total aviation fuel once a week on the Busan?Matsuyama route, with plans to expand its usage in the future.

Air Busan’s SAF is aviation fuel made from eco-friendly refined materials such as waste cooking oil and animal fats, supplied through the domestic refinery SK Energy for one year. SAF will be used by blending it with conventional aviation fuel and can be used without any structural modifications to the aircraft.

To improve fuel efficiency and promote eco-friendly operations, Air Busan has been operating the next-generation A321neo aircraft since March 2020. This aircraft is an eco-friendly, high-efficiency model with about 15% improved fuel efficiency compared to previous models, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 5,000 tons annually. Currently, Air Busan owns a total of eight aircraft, creating an annual carbon emission reduction effect of approximately 40,000 tons.

An Air Busan official stated, “In line with the international decarbonization movement, we are conducting the first commercial SAF operation at a regional airport,” adding, “Air Busan will strive to practice ESG management and fulfill its social responsibilities as a sustainable company.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.