Lufthansa Group wins accolade for its work on biofuel
Lufthansa has landed first prize in the environment category of the Strategy Awards conferred by the prestigious British Airline Business magazine. The award was presented to the Group at a ceremony staged by the magazine at the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in London on 8 July 2012.
The independent jury of respected industry experts said the award went to Lufthansa especially for its pioneering role in testing and developing synthetic fuel in aviation.
Lufthansa, as the world’s first airline, conducted long-term tests with bio-kerosene in scheduled flight operations in 2011. As part of the burnFAIR research project, the airline operated eight flights, daily, between Hamburg and Frankfurt with an Airbus A321, with one engine powered half-and-half by a mixture of biofuel and conventional fuel. The tests conclusively demonstrated that biofuel can, as expected, be utilized without any problems in flight operations. After the successful trial, the focus is now on the suitability, availability, sustainability and certification of biofuel raw materials. Accepting the award on the Group’s behalf, Lufthansa Vice President Aviation Joachim Buse said: “We are highly delighted with this accolade and we will continue firmly on this path. Bio-kerosene has come through a rigorous testing procedure successfully and proved its suitability for everyday application.”
The Lufthansa Group is demonstrating its responsibility for the climate and the environment by engaging in a wide variety of projects. These include its efforts to improve fuel efficiency though fleet modernisation and more effective flight route planning as well as its support for diverse climate protection projects, or feasibility studies on electro mobility. The Lufthansa Group also manifests its corporate citizenship in myriad activities, such as rendering humanitarian aid areas stricken by natural catastrophes. Backing projects dedicated to protecting endangered species is another area where Lufthansa exercises responsibility.
The breadth and depth of the Group’s environmental commitment were rewarded on 21 June 2012 with the Eco-Aviation Award from the US magazine Air Transport World.
