Lion Air Group Plans Expansion with SAF and Eco-Friendly Fleet

Lion Air Group is setting its sights on more sustainable investments, according to Managing Director Daniel Putut Kuncoro Adi in an interview with detikFinance. The group aims to incorporate sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and environmentally friendly aircraft into its operations, with a goal for its entire fleet to use SAF by 2030.

Adi expressed hope that SAF will become competitively priced, which would support the group’s commitment to transitioning to these greener fuels. “We hope that by 2030, all our fleet will use SAF,” he stated. The Lion Air Group includes airlines such as Lion Air, Batik Air, Super Air Jet, Batik Air Malaysia, and Thai Lion Air.

The Indonesian government is also focused on becoming a major SAF supplier. This initiative aims to reduce fuel and crude oil import costs while leveraging Indonesia’s position as the world’s largest producer of crude palm oil. Trials have been underway using palm oil as a SAF feedstock, and Indonesia is exploring other potential sources such as cooking oil and coconut oil. In 2023, Garuda Indonesia (GA, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) completed its first commercial flight using SAF derived from processed palm kernel oil.

While specific details were not provided, Adi noted that Lion Air Group will continue to invest in more eco-friendly aircraft. According to ch-aviation fleets data, the group operates 301 aircraft, including five ATR72-600s, eighty-three B737-800s, one B737-900, 106 A320-200s, and various other models.

The group’s orderbook includes 407 aircraft, such as one B737-800, 112 A320-200Ns, sixty-five A321-200Ns, 179 B737-8s, and fifty B737-10s, indicating a substantial investment in expanding and modernizing its fleet with a focus on environmental sustainability.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com