​Roll out domestic zero emission flight in the UK

The £1 million competition to achieve the first transatlantic flight using 100% SAF has unlocked investment and provided a successful incentive for industry to go full throttle towards cleaner fuels. A similar competition for a commercial domestic route using zero emission aircraft by 2027 will turbocharge technological innovation. 

£1 million should be allocated from the UKRI Future Flight budget, to avoid new spending commitments. Aviation innovation should continue to be a key focus of UKRI with a view to achieving transformative change in the industry. 

Zero emission aircraft is not a realistic option for long haul flight this decade as the technology is not yet developed, nor is the global infrastructure, but there are several UK businesses that are leading the world in zero emission aviation. We should cultivate and support these companies by creating a market for domestic zero emission flights. 

That is why there should be a further mandate introduced for all Public Service Obligation routes to be zero emission by 2030.

These routes are necessary to maintain connectivity across the UK. With government funding already being used to ensure these routes are viable, they provide an opportunity to scale up zero emission flights and bring investment to regional airports. If this proves successful, the UK should set a date after which all domestic flights have to be zero-emission.​

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