Virgin completes first biofuel airline flight

A Virgin Atlantic jumbo jet flew from London to Amsterdam with one of its fuel tanks filled with a bio-jet blend including babassu oil and coconut oil. A Virgin Atlantic statement said the biofuel mix provided 25 per cent of the fuel for the test flight.
The biofuels blend on the Virgin flight contained 20 per cent neat biofuel and 80 per cent conventional jet fuel. Virgin founder Richard Branson said tests had shown it was possible to fly with a 40 per cent blend.

"Today marks a vital breakthrough for the whole airline industry," Branson told reporters in a hangar at Heathrow airport prior to the flight's departure.

Environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth said biofuels were a distraction in the fight to cut carbon dioxide emissions, and that related carbon savings would be negated by increased airline travel.