Qantas to operate biofuel flight

Qantas Airbus A330.

Qantas announced it will operate Australia’s first commercial flights powered by sustainable aviation fuel on April 13, 2012.

The flights, a Sydney-Adelaide return service operated by an Airbus A330, will be powered by a biofuel derived from used cooking oil (split 50:50 with conventional jet fuel). Produced by SkyNRG, the fuel has been fully certified for use in commercial aviation and endorsed by the World Wildlife Fund. Its ‘life cycle’ carbon footprint is around 60 percent smaller than that of conventional jet fuel.

With high fuel costs and carbon pricing affecting airlines around the world, the Qantas Group is taking the lead in advocating the development of a sustainable aviation fuel industry in Australia.

A 2011 study by the CSIRO, endorsed by major aviation businesses, found that such an industry is feasible and, over the next 20 years, could generate more than 12,000 jobs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent in the aviation sector. However, it also identified significant obstacles that must be overcome.

Qantas’ Head of Environment, John Valastro, said the goal of the flights was to raise awareness about the potential for sustainable aviation fuel in Australia.

“We know that sustainable aviation fuel can be used in commercial aviation just like conventional jet fuel. But until it is produced at a commercial scale, at a competitive price, the industry will not be able to realize its true benefits. No single player can make this happen: it needs support from government, private sector investment, access to infrastructure and market demand,” Valastro said.

“Over recent months Qantas has been in discussions with government and industry partners about taking the next step - producing a clear blueprint for the establishment of an Australian sustainable aviation fuel industry. This needs to focus not on speculative technologies but on biofuels that are operationally feasible now, production of which could commence within the next few years - given the right conditions. We hope to accelerate the process in the coming weeks as we build towards this Australian-first flight.”

Hotel association head eyes better promotion, training, environment for growth in new term

(L to R) Chatchawan Supachayanont, Bundarik Kusolvitya, and Thanet Supornsahatrangsi announce plans for the year ahead.

Phasakorn Channgam

The newly re-elected president of the Thai Hotels Association - Eastern Region said she will focus on better promoting Pattaya, working with universities to train more hotel professionals and environmental projects during the 2012-2014 term.

Bundarik Kusolvitya, who ran unopposed in the March 21 ballot at the Dusit Thani Hotel, said her goal was to better market Pattaya both at home and abroad as a center for “world-class seminars and meetings.”

Promotions and road shows were cited by Bundarik and new vice presidents Chatchawan Supachayanont and Thanet Supornsahatrangsi as reasons they should be elected for the next two years, saying events such as the Pattaya Grand Sale and the THA’s participation in travel fairs have been successful, despite the political and natural crises that had hampered tourism from 2010-2012.

To reach her goals, however, the region needs more and better trained hotel workers, Bundarik said. Thus, “The association will encourage educational institutions to produce more personnel for the hotel sector,” she said. “But businesses must modify and develop their standards of personnel training as we prepare to enter the ASEAN Community in 2015.”

Bundarik’s third goal is to expand environmental efforts by member hotels. By organizing environmental activities, it will enhance Pattaya’s image and improve the quality of tourist accommodations, she said.
Over the next term, the newly elected hotel association executives said that most of Pattaya’s tourism growth likely will come from the eastern European and Indian markets.

“The Indian market is interesting and our travel there to market Pattaya received a good response,” Thanes said, noting that hotel bookings in January were up as much 80 percent from the same month in 2011.

Chatchawan said that while the European economy has stabilized, the region’s tourists still are not looking to Pattaya as they had. The British market, however, may be able to make up for some of that if hotels and tourist businesses create attractive promotions.

Qantas to operate biofuel flight

Hotel association head eyes better promotion, training, environment for growth in new term