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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. , Nov. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- October 24th will go down in Azores Airlines' history as the beginning of a new era, the date of its first-ever flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

This milestone is even more significant considering that a few days ago, the SATA Group joined the European Union'sZero Emissions Aviation Alliance, an initiative aimed precisely at decarbonizing the sector by 2050.

Azores Airlines' first commercial flight fueled with SAF connected Lisbon and Ponta Delgada, in an Airbus A320 named UNIQUE with registration CS-TKK. The aircraft took off from Lisbon airport at 19H25M local time and landed at Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island, at 21H30M local time.

The fuel used on this route incorporated 39% renewable origin material known as HEFA (Hydro processed Esters and Fatty Acids), representing a 35% reduction in total CO2 emissions.

The preparation and monitoring of this first commercial flight using sustainable aviation fuel involved the energy partners Galp and NESTE, two leading innovators in biofuels and recyclable fuels, and Carlyle Aviation Partners, a commercial aviation investment platform and lessor of the CS-TKK UNIQUE aircraft operated by Azores Airlines. Together with Azores Airlines' technical teams, the partners ensured the feasibility of this operation.

SAF offers similar performance to traditional jet fuel and can be used in the same engines as fossil fuel but with a significantly lower carbon footprint.

NESTE's SAF is produced from 100% sustainably sourced renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil and animal fat waste. Positioning itself as a strategic SAF supplier, Galp plans to produce 240.000 tons/year of SAF as part of the transformation of its Sines industrial site into a Green Energy Park.

Azores Airlines is happy to contribute to the decarbonization goals that the aviation sector seeks to achieve and is very proud to undertake actions that will guarantee that the Azores Archipelago remains to be a remarkable sustainable tourism destination.

Galp is an energy company committed to the development of efficient and sustainable solutions in its operations and in the integrated offers to its customers that creates simple, flexible, and competitive solutions for the energy or mobility needs of large industries, as well as small and medium-sized businesses and individual consumers. Galp's offer includes various types of energy – from electricity produced from renewable sources to natural gas and liquid fuels. As a producer, the company extracts oil and natural gas from reservoirs located miles below sea level, while also being one of the largest Iberian producers of solar-based electricity. Leaders in its sector in the world's main sustainability indices, Galp contributes to the economic development of the 10 countries it operates and to the social progress of the communities. Galp has 6,360 employees. For more information, visit https://galp.com/pt/

NESTE (Nasdaq Helsinki) creates solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. NESTE refines waste, residues and innovative raw materials into renewable fuels and sustainable feedstock for plastics and other materials. NESTE is a world's leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel and developing chemical recycling to combat the plastic waste challenge, aiming at helping customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions with our renewable and circular solutions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030. Read more: https://www.neste.com//

Carlyle Aviation Partners is the commercial aviation investment and servicing arm of Carlyle's$143 billion Global Credit platform. It is a multi-strategy aviation investment manager that seeks to capitalize on its extensive technical knowledge, in-depth industry expertise and long-standing presence in the aviation sector. As of June 30, 2022, it has a team of more than 105 employees and offices in the US, Ireland and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.carlyle.aero./

The SATA Group consists of two airlines (SATA Air Açores and Azores Airlines) and an airport management company established in the Azores. Each company benefits from the experience, know-how, and knowledge developed over more than eighty years of activity in air transport. Established in 1941, under the name of "Sociedade Açoreana de Estudos Aéreos", later renamed "SATA - Sociedade Açoriana de Transporte Aéreo", SATA Air Açores continues to ensure air transportation between the nine islands of the Azores. Azores Airlines completes the mission of linking the Azores as much as possible to the rest of the word, flying from the Azores to Europe (France, Germany, Spain), North America (Boston, New York, Oakland), Canada (Toronto), Portugal Mainland (Porto, Lisbon), Madeira Island, and the African destination of Cape Verde. SATA Group's airlines operate with Bombardier and Airbus fleets. SATA Group's airlines are IATA and ERA members.Find more about ongoing initiatives and projects at https://www.azoresairlines.pt/en/corporate/sustainability.

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SOURCE SATA Group