Finnish company LYGG becomes the world’s first to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on all its flights – “Commercial flying hasn’t been this environmentally friendly since the Wright brothers in 1914.”
LYGG is set to become the world’s first aviation operator to deploy sustainable SAF on all its flights. SAF will be implemented on all of LYGG’s flights by the end of next year, providing customers with a 100% emission reduction benefit. With the transition to sustainable fuel, emissions will be reduced to one-fifth of those in regular air traffic.
“Even now, our flight emissions are, on average, almost half of those with alternative flight methods. Significant savings are achieved through direct connections, which our business model is based on. For example, on our direct Tampere–Stockholm route opened in August, bypassing the Helsinki detour saves about 400 kilometers, or over 6 hours considering the entire travel chain. ln addition, our 8–33-seat aircraft consumes approximately 200–400 kilograms of fuel per hour of flight, compared to over 2,000 kilograms for a large aircraft,” says LYGG CEO Roope Kekäläinen.
“The transition to SAF reduces emissions by 75–80%, meaning that by the end of next year, any LYGG flight will only account for a tenth of the carbon dioxide compared to alternative travel methods. The aviation industry typically sets emission targets for 2050 or 2060, but we are extremely close to these goals already by next year. With LYGG adopting SAF, it is a factual statement that commercial flying hasn’t been this environmentally friendly since the Wright brothers in 1914,” says Kekäläinen, who is trained as a pilot and flight instructor.
Renewable SAF a Significant Step Towards Carbon-Neutral Air Travel
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is produced from renewable raw materials such as organic waste oils, agricultural residues, or animal fats. Compared to fossil aviation fuel, SAF emits 75–80% less carbon dioxide over its lifecycle. SAF is three times more expensive than kerosene, but according to Kekäläinen, LYGG’s business model enables its extensive use without price increases for corporate clients.
“LYGG is revolutionizing business aviation with its platform, the first in the world capable of providing direct flight connections as a service for companies, even outside metropolitan areas. This is air travel that will happen one way or another – companies have key personnel who must travel regularly, as virtual meetings are not an option for them. When travel is a necessity, a company wants to choose the most time and emission-efficient way, making LYGG with its direct connections the most attractive option.”
“The key to the business model is that a new route is only opened when a sufficient number of companies commit to it. This is why LYGG’s operations have been practically carbon-neutral from the start, which gives us a head start to create the financial conditions to make business flying as environmentally friendly as it can possibly be. We require our operators to commit to deploying sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the entire capacity of LYGG flights from the end of 2024 onwards,” says Kekäläinen.
LYGG is a platform that makes air travel more efficient, comfortable, and environmentally conscious. LYGG enables business flying for customers, providing time savings, travel comfort, and an easy user experience through its application. LYGG is involved in innovating and building a better and more environmentally friendly future for the aviation industry.
For further information
Roope Kekäläinen, CEO, Lygg
+358 50 401 1321, roope.kekalainen@lygg.com
