Salvador Bahia Airport becomes Brazil’s first to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel for regular flights

Salvador Bahia Airport (SSA), part of VINCI Airports’ network since 2018, is pioneering Brazil’s aviation decarbonisation by becoming the country’s first airport to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for commercial operations. Regular use of SAF begins this November, marking a significant milestone for both the airport and VINCI Airports’ commitment to accelerating the energy transition across its mobility infrastructure and stakeholders.

The airport already serves as a regional benchmark for environmental performance. It was the first in the Americas to achieve the highest level of Airport Carbon Accreditation, ACA 5, implementing advanced practices for carbon management and reduction. More than 15 airports in the VINCI network now offer SAF, and Salvador Bahia’s introduction of regular SAF operations further strengthens its environmental position and aligns with decarbonisation goals across the network.

In Brazil, SAF is commercially distributed by Vibra. The fuel blend used at Salvador meets international sustainability criteria and can help lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. Two daily flights from Salvador Bahia, operated by Gol Linhas Aéreas and LATAM Airlines Brasil, now use a blend of 10 per cent pure SAF and 90 per cent conventional jet fuel, the highest proportion currently applied in Brazilian aviation. The pure SAF, produced from used cooking oil, is presently the only type available nationally. While flight emissions fall under airlines’ scope 1 and the airport’s scope 3, the renewable fuel reduces lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and represents a first step in expanding SAF use in Brazil.

Governor Jerônimo Rodrigues said, “Bahia has made significant progress in clean energy production and in building a more sustainable future, where development and social justice move forward together.”

Julio Ribas, CEO of VINCI Airports in Brazil, added, “SAF is currently the most effective tool for reducing emissions in commercial aviation. Being able to offer flights fuelled with SAF in Salvador on a continuous basis places Bahia at the forefront of the energy transition and reinforces our commitment to transforming passenger journeys with increasingly sustainable solutions.”

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