Kenya Airways becomes first African airline to use SAF

Kenya’s national carrier Kenya Airways has become the first African airline to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) provided by Eni for a long-haul flight.
The Boeing 787-800 (B787-8) Dreamliner, that took off from Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Amsterdam Schiphol was powered by Eni Sustainable Mobility's sustainable aviation fuel.
For this flight, JetA1 fuel is mixed with Eni Biojet, produced in the Eni’s Livorno refinery by distilling the bio-components produced from the Gela biorefinery.
“Working with Eni Sustainable Mobility to pilot the use of SAF puts us on the first pathway to testing the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel within Africa. The data and insights generated from the pilot flight will be valuable to inform policy decisions, regulatory frameworks, and industry best practices related to SAF.
“This will be a significant milestone for Kenya Airways and the broader African aviation industry,” said Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways.
Eni Biojet contains 100% biogenic feedstock and is suitable for use with up to 50% of JetA1 fuel.
For this flight it was mixed with conventional jet fuel by Kenya Airways in Nairobi.
“The supply of Eni Biojet to Nairobi Airport is an important step for Eni Sustainable Mobility because it confirms that the company can support airlines such as Kenya Airways in their path towards decarbonisation,” added Stefano Ballista, CEO Eni Sustainable Mobility.
From 2025, all aircraft departing from European airports will be required to incorporate a proportion of SAF.
As a result, the airline is positioning itself to take advantage of sustainable aviation fuel momentum in accordance with the direction indicated by the European Union with the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation that sets the targets for mixing traditional fuels with increased amounts of more sustainable fuels.