In August 2011, Aeromexico became the first airline to carry out a passenger flight across the Atlantic using Jatropha as a biofuel. A GE-powered Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, with a blend of 30% biofuel sourced from Jatropha and 70% conventional jet kerosene, flew 250 passengers from Mexico City to Madrid. Around 20 tonnes of the Jatropha fuel was supplied by Mexico’s largest airport operator and jet fuel provider Airports and Auxiliary Services. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing was also involved in the flight program.

Mexico’s sustainable jet biofuel strategy encompasses additional biomass sources such as algae, Salicornia, and castor seed. The airline says it is planning further biofuel flights despite limited availability of the fuel and the cost being considerably higher than conventional jet kerosene. Aeromexico is also flying with Camelina biofuel between Mexico City and Costa Rica.

On June 19, 2012 KLM flew from Amsterdam to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a Boeing 777-200 on the occasion of a sustainable development conference. The aircraft engines were partly running again on sustainable fuel made from used cooking oil. KLM is open to use different kinds of biomass-feedstock for bioker­osene, as long as they meet a range of sustainability criteria, including a sub­stantial reduction in CO2 emissions, and minimal negative impact on biodiversity and food supply.

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