Hong Kong: Airbus and the Cathay Group have announced a joint investment of up to US$70 million to boost the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Asia and globally. The announcement was made at the IATA World Sustainability Symposium, in a ceremony hosted by Cathay’s Chief Operations & Service Delivery Officer Alex McGowan and Airbus President Asia-Pacific Anand Stanley, reports Airbus.
Under the partnership, the two companies will identify, evaluate, and invest in projects that can scale SAF production towards 2030 and beyond. Projects will be assessed based on commercial viability, technological maturity, and long-term offtake potential. The partnership highlights the need for collaboration across the aviation value chain, involving policymakers, investors, SAF producers, and airline customers.
“SAF remains the most important lever for Cathay and the wider aviation industry to achieve decarbonisation goals,” said Alex McGowan. “This co-investment with Airbus strengthens our commitment to building a stronger, scalable SAF industry. It complements our broader strategy of investing in the technologies and production capacity needed for the future, including our recent investment in the oneworld BEV SAF Fund. We are also expanding SAF usage today through partnerships with like-minded organisations.”
Anand Stanley added, “This agreement reflects the shared commitment of Airbus and Cathay to make a real impact. Producing and distributing affordable SAF at scale requires cross-sector collaboration. Our partnership with Cathay demonstrates how we can catalyse production in key locations to serve our customers effectively.”
The collaboration will also focus on advocating for supportive SAF policies across Asia, both on the supply and demand side. With the region’s strong potential in feedstock supply, production capacity, and a growing aviation market, Airbus and Cathay aim to leverage their experience to make SAF more accessible and affordable in Asia.
Airbus and Cathay share a long-standing partnership dating back to 1989, when the airline placed its first order for Airbus aircraft. Today, the Cathay Group operates 86 Airbus aircraft with more than 70 additional aircraft on order for future delivery.
