Cathay and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a broad range of sustainability initiatives.
These collective efforts are aimed at advocating for the development and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the Asia-Pacific region, a critical decarbonisation lever for the sector, and sharing best practices to boost sustainability performance.
The agreement, which focuses on two key areas, underscores both carriers’ commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and affirms their aspiration to help drive sustainability changes in the airline industry.
Firstly, Cathay and SIA will jointly advocate for the greater use of SAF in the Asia-Pacific region. Initiatives in this area will include raising public awareness about SAF’s critical role in decarbonising aviation, advocating for supportive policies in the region, and promoting the creation of a standard global accounting and reporting framework to ensure the transparency and verifiability of emission reductions from the use of the fuel. The airlines will also explore potential opportunities for joint procurement of SAF at selected locations. These are aimed at boosting SAF production and supporting its wider adoption in the airline industry.
The second area of focus will be the exchange of best practices to reduce single-use plastics, minimise waste, and improve energy efficiency in ground and cargo operations. This will allow Cathay and SIA to improve their sustainability performance, and speed up the development and implementation of sustainable solutions in their operations.
This announcement followed the signing of a strategic agreement between Riyadh Air and Singapore Airlines to establish a commercial partnership. Riyadh Air is a new airline based in Saudi Arabia, and it is expected to commence commercial operations in 2025, offering customers travel options to and from the Middle East.
Both carriers will explore opportunities for interline connectivity on each other’s services, subject to regulatory approval. They will also work on other potential areas of commercial cooperation, including codeshare arrangements, reciprocal benefits for their frequent flyer programme members, cargo services, customer experience, and digital innovation as a precursor to a deeper, long-term, strategic partnership.
These will potentially offer Riyadh Air’s guests access to SIA’s network in South East Asia and the South West Pacific region, and SIA’s customers greater access to the Middle East region through Riyadh Air’s network.
