UK's first biofuel passenger flight to launch tomorrow

Thomson Airways is planning to fly customers from Birmingham to Lanzarote on a mixture of fat and conventional jet fuel on Thursday.

Confirmation of the service, which was due to start last July, will be given once the operator has completed the stringent testing process and final safety clearance has been received. The sustainable cocktail of fuel will see one engine topped up with 50% Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids and 50% jet A1 fuel.

Thomson claims sustainable biofuel has the potential to reduce aviation emissions by up to 80% in the long-term.

Thomson Airways managing director Chris Browne said: "Sustainable biofuels offer us the opportunity to improve our own individual environmental performance as well as contributing to the UK's carbon reduction target."

The airline plans to expand its use of sustainable biofuels across its fleet over the next three years."¨"¨

With permission from Travelmole

hi,

I thought TOM022 on 6/11/11 from Lgw to Cun was operated byt ex-fca not ex-thomsonfly ? If it's ex-thomsonfly will it be the 1 longhaul version ? Also how about Tom093 Cun-Lgw 17/11/11 ? I am booked in premium both journeys.

Many thanks.

garrydan,

It'll be a long haul aircraft. The end of this month going in to November is the transition between summer and winter schedules so things sometimes change. Short haul aircraft used on high density routes in the summer are reconfigured for long haul work in the winter.

Darren

Further to a previous post about Thomson flying a group of customers from BHX-ACE on 06/10/11 using Biofuel does anybody which aircraft this will be and does it require any changes to made to the aircraft to do this or is it just a case of adding 50% biofuel and then topping it up with Jet A1 fuel for the required trip fuel.

uno28,

Turbine engines can run on different fuels so there are no modifications to aircraft or engines as far as I'm aware. It's just a normal aero engine. Many airlines have trialled the use of biofules over the last couple of years so although this is a first for Thomson and the first commercial (passenger) biofuel flight in the UK, it's not for the aviation industry as a whole. I believe the flight is BHX-ACE-BHX (TOM7446/7) operated by a Boeing 757-200 (powered by Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4 high bypass turbofan engines with 41,500lb thrust each). The fuel is supplied by SkyNRG as a biofuel mix to meet strict standards, it's not something that is prepared in-house. Further details are on Thomsons website.

Darren

Thank Darren

Have checked with Thomson and it's still ex fca 9 rows

Hi Darren,

nearly holiday time again .

I am flying to Montego Bay on 20th Dec Flight number TOM 030, will it be an ex fca aircraft ?

Many Thanks in advance.

Topic

Hi Garydan,

The operational data i've been given is fresh this week, coupled with the announcement last week that the ex-FC aircraft are going in for major maintanence - including refreshing/updating the interior (configuration to stay the same)

I can only presume that the ex-Tfly 767's are covering for the FC aircraft whilst this is being carried out. Your outbound will be an ex-Thomsonfly 767 in long haul configuration(283 seats) and your inbound an ex-FC 767.

The outbound flight is only operated by a Tfly 767 the 6th-27th November 2011, it then reverts to normal a ex-FC 767.

Julmops wrote:

As it seems you already have the winter schedule, any chance you can tell me the same for TOM148 LGW-CUN on 4th Jan 2012 ?

Many thanks in advance !

Julmops

Hi,

TOM048 will be operated by an ex-FC 767 all throughout the winter as far as I can see and will operate TOM031 before your flight.

Hi
Could you tell me if my flight on Friday NCL-MAN-CUN TOM392, will be operated by ex. FCA a/c or TOM a/c? as last week there was a quite lengthy delay and the outbound was opd by a TOM a/c and have just read something regarding the FCA 763's going in for heavy maintenance and some of the TOM 763 are covering the shortfall as a result.

I realize it makes little to no difference in essence as the majority of the a/c are the same that's not the reason why Id like to know if poss, its merely from an aviation enthusiast point of view, also I know it ops the NCL-SFB-NCL tommorow prior to ours so if possible can you possibly tell me which registration a/c will be operating our CUN flight as it ops from SFB back to NCL to do the CUN?

Thanks, greatly appreciated.

jays25,

It's due to be operated by an ex-FCA 767. I'll check on the registration tomorrow.

Darren

The maintenance schedule doesn't start until the end of the month when the long haul flying programme dies down for a few weeks before really kicking in for the winter season in December. There won't be any planned changes to your aircraft unless there are any major problems, like last week.

The aircraft changes to ex-Tfly aircraft are managed and bookings taken accordingly- i.e. only 31 premium seats sold and 252 economy seats sold vs 63premium/195 economy seats, people will not be downgraded unwillingly due to the planned maintenance. It is only when things go T*ts up that Thomson Airways has to reluctantly upset customers.

Thanks for info.

I will be downgraded as there were only 9 premiun seats left available when the aircraft was scheduled as ex-fca.

Never mind

Hi

Am flying out on 01/12/11 Birmingham to Cancun TOM264 can you advise whether this will be ex First Choice or Thomson?

Many thanks

ferch73,

Welcome onboard
I won't know until the 2nd week of November (if you want to remind me), but I suspect it'll be an ex-TOM.

Darren

Many thanks for your quick response darren
and thank you for the welcome

Many thanks for the confirmation !! Is TOM031 coming back from MBJ ?

Julmops wrote:

Is TOM031 coming back from MBJ ?

Yes.

Darren

Splendid, many thanks ! 89 days to go and counting !
I've called Thomson Airways yesterday to choose my seats and I had someone within minutes sorting my outbound seats for me.
I have to call again in 2 weeks for the inbound but I was well impressed.

It was all done very quickly and efficiently. Got 3A and 3B.