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The Cathay Group and Airbus are jointly investing up to US$70 million to accelerate the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel across Asia and globally
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The agreement was unveiled in Hong Kong during the IATA World Sustainability Symposium
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The partnership will target commercially viable, technologically mature SAF projects with long-term offtake potential
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Cathay and Airbus will also advocate for supportive SAF policies across Asia, citing the region’s strong feedstock and aviation market
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The deal complements Cathay’s recent investment in the oneworld BEV SAF Fund, which focuses on next-gen SAF technologies
The Cathay Group and Airbus are jointly investing up to US$70 million to accelerate the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) across Asia and globally.
The agreement was unveiled in Hong Kong on the sidelines of the IATA World Sustainability Symposium, in a ceremony hosted by Alex McGowan, Cathay’s chief operations and service delivery officer, and Anand Stanley, president of Airbus Asia-Pacific.
“This agreement reflects the shared commitment of Airbus and Cathay to make a real difference. The production and distribution of affordable SAF at scale requires an unprecedented cross-sectoral approach,” Stanley is quoted as saying in a Cathay news release.
Under the partnership, both companies will identify, evaluate, and invest in SAF projects that demonstrate commercial viability, technological maturity, and long-term offtake potential. The move aims to strengthen the region’s SAF supply chain and accelerate adoption across the aviation sector toward 2030 and beyond.
Further, the two companies will work together to advocate for supportive SAF policies on both the supply and demand sides.
With Asia’s strong potential in feedstock supply, production capacity, and its fast-growing aviation market, the partners aim to help shape frameworks that make SAF more accessible and cost-competitive.
The collaboration follows Cathay’s recent participation as a launch investor in the oneworld BEV SAF Fund, a joint initiative with Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the climate-focused investment firm founded by Bill Gates.
While that fund targets next-generation SAF technologies, the Cathay-Airbus agreement will focus on more mature opportunities to accelerate near- and medium-term fuel availability.
McGowan said the collaboration represents a critical step in Cathay’s long-term sustainability strategy.
READ: Cathay Pacific launches Sustainable Aviation Fuel program
“SAF remains the most important lever for Cathay and the wider aviation industry to drive toward our common decarbonization goals,” he said. “This co-investment partnership with Airbus underscores our commitment to supporting a more scalable SAF industry in the near term.”
Cathay and Airbus have maintained a strategic relationship since 1989, when Cathay placed its first Airbus order. Today, the airline operates more than 85 Airbus aircraft, with over 70 additional units on order.
READ: Airbus to work with DOTr on sustainable aviation fuel initiatives
