Powering planes on plastic waste is no flight of fancy

THE FIRST transatlantic flight to run entirely on alternative fuels landed in New York City last month. It was a landmark for the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) consortium supported by the Department of Transport, that aims to make air travel greener.

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However, the headlines only captured part of the story. Virgin Atlantic Flight100 used a dual blend fuel from waste fats, and plant sugars - that, when processed to scale, would wreak havoc on the UK's agricultural sector not to mention the environment. Even worse, it's more expensive than traditional aviation fuel. So what then is the alternative?

Environmental groups have long argued that to combat the climate crisis, we need to stop flying altogether. But that would mean stopping students from meeting grandparents over Christmas or banning families enjoying their first holiday.

It isn't realistic, or practical.

We need to find alternatives that are not only less polluting but also more cost-effective. If the UK is serious about becoming a global pioneer in SAF, we need to find raw materials to power airplanes.