Airbus has expanded its aircraft deliveries using sustainable jet fuel blends, with one of the latest involving the milestone 50th A320 Family jetliner provided to Delta Air Lines from Airbus’ production facility in Mobile, Alabama.

The landmark aircraft was an A321 – Airbus’ longest-fuselage version in its A320 product line – and the first of 20 for the U.S.-based airline whose delivery flights over the next year will operate with blends of sustainable jet fuel. 

Sustainable-fuelled jetliner deliveries originated with Airbus

This continues the strong Airbus commitment to minimising air transportation’s environmental impact – which includes becoming the first aircraft manufacturer offering customers the option of receiving new jetliners with sustainable fuel in their tanks. Such delivery flights have been available since 2016, starting from the Airbus headquarters production facility in Toulouse, France. 

Airbus offers this option as part of its strategy to promote a more regular use of sustainable fuels within the aviation industry. In the longer term, the company also envisions supporting industrial production of sustainable fuels for aviation in the southeastern U.S. – the broad geographical region in which the Mobile, Alabama production facility for A320 Family jetliners is located.

Delta Air Lines is the second U.S customer to have its aircraft delivered by Airbus from the Mobile final assembly line using sustainable fuel blends. The initial was JetBlue Airways, which received an A321 loaded with 15% sustainable jet fuel in September 2018.

The fuel for Delta Air Lines’ 50th A320 Family aircraft delivered from Mobile was supplied by Air BP and loaded into the jetliner by Signature Flight Support (Airbus’ fuelling services provider in Mobile). This fuel is certified compliant with the sustainability requirements of the European Union Renewable Energy Directive and the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification. 

Delta and JetBlue: key operators of Airbus aircraft

These eco-efficient delivery flights from Mobile are more than symbolic, as Delta Air Lines and JetBlue are among Airbus’ key customers in the U.S. market – and globally. Delta has ordered more than 400 single-aisle and wide-body jetliners overall from Airbus, while JetBlue’s orders total nearly 350 from the single-aisle product lines.

Delta Air Lines' 50th A320 Family aircraft

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Airbus has delivered Delta Air Lines’ 50th A320 Family jetliner produced in the U.S. manufacturing facility at Mobile, Alabama; this aircraft – an A321 – is shown during a pre-delivery test flight

Delta Air Lines’ A321 – sustainable fuel

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Sustainable jet fuel, supplied by Air BP and loaded into Delta Air Lines’ A321 aircraft by Signature Flight Support, is certified compliant with the sustainability requirements of the European Union Renewable Energy Directive and the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification