Case Study: Rotterdam Airport’s ‘Fly on SAF’ program helps travelers reduce flight footprints

According to a recent report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group, 69% of travelers want to be presented with more sustainable options when they travel.  Airports across the world have recognized this shift and are seizing the initiative to play their part in delivering more environmentally-friendly options for their customers.

As the first airport to achieve Level 4+ Transition of Airport Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) in 2021, Rotterdam The Hauge Airport is on the right track to achieve its goals of reducing CO2 emissions to 2005 levels by 2030 and CO2-neutral aviation by 2050.

Attaining Level 4+ accreditation requires a long-term sustainability strategy oriented towards absolute emissions reductions. Rotterdam The Hague Airport also aligned with the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to below 2°C. Part of its journey saw the airport team up with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplier SkyNRG and climate tech company CHOOOSE in the creation of the Fly on SAF tool. Environmentally conscious travelers can use the tool right on the airport’s website to calculate and understand the CO2 emissions of their flight and choose to reduce their carbon footprint by up to 80% through the purchase of SAF.

Passengers are exposed to the program at several touchpoints, including on video screens, in the departure hall, and at restaurants.

The CHOOOSE-powered platform enables airlines, airports, online travel agents, destination management companies, and global tourism organizations the ability to offer trusted SAF solutions and carbon offsets to customers.

The Fly on SAF tool provides precise carbon calculations and climate compensation options, which is directly embedded as a web app on the airport’s website. Using a slider in the carbon app, customers can select their preferred distribution of SAF and carbon offsets to mitigate their footprint, and CHOOOSE takes care of the rest.

Behind the scenes, Rotterdam Airport also makes use of an online portal that enables the airport to track, report on, and analyze solution performance and customer engagement.

The purchase of SAF works through the Book and Claim principle: when customers purchase SAF, rather than having to transport fuel to the aircraft (which generates additional carbon emissions from unnecessary travel), the alternative fuel is pumped into an airplane near a SAF production facility, which also lowers cost.

Sustainable aviation fuel is a cleaner substitute for conventional fossil fuel, with up to 80% fewer carbon emissions. The fuel is made from sustainably-sourced resources like agricultural waste, waste oils, fats, and greases. Resources are then processed to create a chemical almost identical to kerosene, meaning SAF can be safely mixed with existing jet fuel without requiring a complete overhaul of existing airport infrastructure, engines, or aircraft design.

Burning SAF does still create emissions. However, in addition to much fewer emissions than jet fuel, it also recycles CO2 already present in the atmosphere, whereas jet fuel generates additional CO2.

"As a sector, we are working hard to reduce CO2 emissions, and SAF is the most effective short-term measure in achieving this and our transition as an industry towards sustainable aviation."

Michelle Samson, Head of Strategy and Sustainable Development at Rotterdam The Hague Airport said: “Sustainability of aviation is of great importance to us and our ambition is to be one of the most sustainable airports in the world. As a sector, we are working hard to reduce CO2 emissions, and SAF is the most effective short-term measure in achieving this and our transition as an industry towards sustainable aviation. We want to make sustainable aviation fuel possible on a larger scale which will allow more travelers to reduce their carbon footprint in the future. We are happy that the number of travelers who care about their carbon footprint and want to reduce it is increasing rapidly."

"We are happy that the number of travelers who care about their carbon footprint and want to reduce it is increasing rapidly."

The airport is taking additional steps to address carbon emissions, including investing in 100% renewable energy to power its terminal and buildings, on-site solar power generation, and stringent sustainability requirements for airport vehicles. Rotterdam The Hague has compensated for residual emissions with CDM Gold Standard credits which will provide clean sustainable electricity to the local grid in rural India.

"People don’t want a complicated purchasing process which is why we’ve developed a solution where customers can reduce their carbon footprint with just a few clicks."

Speaking on the work with Rotterdam The Hague, Andreas Slettvoll, Founder and CEO of CHOOOSE said: “Rotterdam was the first airport in the Netherlands to work with Fly on SAF, which we were thrilled about. People don’t want a complicated purchasing process which is why we’ve developed a solution where customers can reduce their carbon footprint with just a few clicks. This is an important step to drive the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel and encourage people to consider meaningful carbon offsetting programs. At CHOOOSE we’ve made it our mission to support airlines, airports, and travel companies in their mission to become more environmentally friendly and to help their customers travel more responsibly. We look forward to continuing to support the industry with our technology.”

For other airports considering how to amplify their sustainability efforts, partnering with climate tech companies like CHOOOSE can provide customizable platforms that streamline carbon compensation opportunities for travelers and stakeholders alike. CHOOOSE offers tools such as an embeddable carbon app, which is seamlessly integrated onto a website or a white-labeled landing page configured to specific branding requirements.

CHOOOSE also handles all services related to running the climate programs, including project screening and diligence, portfolio management, retirement and reporting, hands-on support, transactions with third-party providers, and marketing implementation guidance.

About CHOOOSE:

CHOOOSE™ provides the leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform empowering businesses to integrate climate action into customer experiences. Airports and airlines deploy CHOOOSE to build, manage, and report on customer-centric climate programs. CHOOOSE is a trusted partner powering integrated carbon programs to industry-leading companies worldwide, including Heathrow Airport, Rome Airport, Air Canada, Japan Airlines, Lonely Planet, Norwegian Air, Southwest Airlines, LATAM, and others. Headquartered in Oslo, Norway, CHOOOSE has enterprise partners and employees around the world. Learn more at www.chooose.today.

Learn more about Rotterdam The Hague and their Fly on SAF climate program here.

Are you an airline looking to build a climate program featuring sustainable aviation fuel? Contact us today.