EU SAF mandate threatens nearly half of China-bound flights, Air France-KLM warns
In Washington DC, Visa HQ reported that Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith cautioned that the EU’s RefuelEU Aviation regulation could force the group to slash up to 45% of its Asia network—including many China services—by 2030.
The rules compel EU carriers to blend 6% SAF from 2030, rising to 20% by 2035, while non-EU airlines operating via hubs in the Gulf or Türkiye avoid most compliance costs, according to the report.
Smith argued the cost differential—SAF currently costs roughly three times conventional jet fuel—would make certain Paris–Beijing, Amsterdam–Shanghai and secondary-city routes uneconomic. Industry lobby Airlines for Europe (A4E) is urging Brussels to adopt a SAF Border-Adjustment Mechanism that would oblige foreign competitors to purchase equivalent SAF credits when selling tickets in the EU.
Category: SAF
