Akasa Air operated a commercial flight using aviation turbine fuel blended with 1% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on September 8, 2026, with the SAF-blended fuel supplied by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) as the two companies begin practical testing of SAF use in Indian aviation.
The flight departed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, at 1:05 PM and arrived at Manohar International Airport, Goa, at 2:30 PM, according to Akasa Air.
Akasa Air and BPCL move from SAF discussions to flight testing
The commercial flight marks a practical step following the memorandum of understanding signed by Akasa Air and BPCL in July 2026.
Under their agreement, the companies are working on a framework covering the supply and purchase of SAF-blended aviation turbine fuel at selected airports in India. The objective is to support the gradual introduction of lower-carbon fuel options into aviation.
Akasa Air said the flight will give both companies operational experience that could inform similar SAF initiatives in the future.
The use of a 1% blend also provides an initial operational application of SAF within a commercial aviation setting, while the companies continue to examine the requirements for broader adoption.
Domestic SAF supply remains a key requirement
Akasa Air CFO Ankur Goel said expanding SAF use in India would require coordination across the aviation and fuel supply chain.
“Scaling SAF in India will require coordinated action across the ecosystem, supported by domestic supply, enabling policy and commercial viability. We are committed to exploring this transition.”
Goel also said sustainability is one of Akasa Air’s core values and linked the SAF initiative to the airline’s wider efforts to improve operational efficiency.
For India, domestic availability of SAF is an important consideration because airlines seeking to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuel require reliable supply alongside suitable airport infrastructure and commercially viable fuel arrangements.
BPCL highlights SAF supply-chain challenges
BPCL Director (Marketing) Subhankar Sen said the transition towards sustainable aviation fuels is both an environmental and strategic consideration for India.
“The transition from conventional fuels to sustainable alternatives is both an environmental imperative and a strategic necessity for India.”
Sen highlighted feedstock availability and aggregation as longstanding challenges because of fragmented supply chains. He said continued efforts across the value chain have helped establish the basis for a viable SAF ecosystem.
BPCL said it remains committed to developing sustainable fuels as part of India’s broader energy transition and improving energy security through sustainable and indigenous energy sources.
Akasa Air links SAF test to wider efficiency measures
The airline said its sustainability strategy also includes the use of newer aircraft and operational technologies.
Akasa Air operates a Boeing 737 MAX fleet powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines and equipped with advanced-technology winglets. According to the airline, the aircraft offers a 20% reduction in fuel use and emissions compared with the aircraft it replaces.
The airline has also partnered with OpenAirlines to deploy SkyBreathe, a fuel-management system using analytics to improve operational efficiency and reduce carbon emissions across its network.
Akasa Air further said it had voluntarily discontinued traditional water-cannon salutes during route inaugurations, which it estimates has conserved more than 550,000 litres of water to date.
SAF adoption requires coordination across the aviation chain
The SAF initiative extends beyond the airline and fuel supplier. Its future development will depend on the availability of suitable feedstocks, fuel production, blending and distribution infrastructure, airport access and commercial arrangements between suppliers and airlines.
The July agreement between Akasa Air and BPCL specifically addresses the supply and purchase framework at selected airports, giving the partnership a broader scope beyond the September 8 flight.
The companies have not provided details in the supplied announcement on future SAF blend percentages, volumes, additional routes or a timetable for wider commercial deployment.
Bioenergy Business Analysis
The Akasa Air-BPCL flight is significant less for the 1% blend itself than for its demonstration of how SAF can begin moving into routine airline fuel operations in India. The test connects an airline, a major fuel supplier and airport infrastructure while providing practical experience that could inform future SAF deployment.
The bigger industry challenge remains building a commercially viable domestic SAF supply chain. BPCL’s reference to feedstock availability and aggregation, alongside Akasa Air’s emphasis on domestic supply, policy and commercial viability, points to the infrastructure and economics that will determine whether initial SAF trials can develop into larger-scale aviation fuel adoption.
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