EVA Air and Airbus have embarked on a collaborative effort aimed at increasing SAF development and adoption in the airline’s operations.

The announcement was made during a ceremony in Taipei to celebrate EVA Air’s order of 18 long-range A350-1000 and 15 single-aisle A321neo aircraft, in the presence of EVA Air President Clay Sun, CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft Christian Scherer, Taiwan Civil Aviation Administration Director-General Ho Shu-Ping, European trade office representatives, and guests from the Taiwanese travel and cargo industries.

Recognising SAF as a critical pathway to the decarbonisation of the aviation industry, and a key contributor to reaching the Net Zero 2050 target, the joint agreement lays the foundation for the two companies to explore over the next 24 months avenues for decarbonisation within EVA Air’s operations, prepare the ecosystem for sustainable aviation fuel adoption and ensure infrastructure readiness.

“Fuel efficiency, carbon reduction and cabin comfort have become major considerations for airline fleet modernisation, and EVA Air’s announcement late last year to introduce the 33 latest-generation Airbus aircraft underlines our plans to meet future demand. Both companies are working closely in a strategic partnership to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel and explore more innovative technologies and operational optimisation solutions. These efforts will ensure that we can steadily move towards a Net Zero future,” said Clay Sun, President, EVA Air.

“The aircraft orders we celebrate today elevate the partnership we have with EVA Air to a whole new level. The A350-1000 is the undisputed choice in the large capacity intercontinental segment, with unmatched passenger comfort and an environmental signature superior to any aircraft in its class, present or planned. This allows EVA Air to set new standards for its long-haul operations. In alignment with Airbus’ ambition to decarbonise aviation, we are also deepening our collaboration to explore ways for EVA Air to reduce carbon emissions across its operations and prepare for the future adoption of SAF,” said Christian Scherer, CEO, Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

Working closely with EVA Air, Airbus will analyse potential contributions of various measures based on current and future routes, as well as operational practices. The two parties will also study the required measures to prepare for the uptake of SAF on commercial flights, establish procurement processes, manage SAF certification, as well as promote awareness on regular SAF usage.

EVA Air has joined other Asian carriers in committing to the Net Zero 2050 target. This regional commitment aligns with global efforts to reduce aviation’s environmental impact. Taiwan’s aviation industry has also been working to reduce its carbon footprint, with initiatives such as the use of SAF and the adoption of new aircraft technologies.

EVA Air’s recent investment in the latest generation of Airbus aircraft as part of its fleet modernisation programme illustrates its commitment to operating the most efficient aircraft and offering the best passenger comfort. The new fleet will enable an immediate reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions of up to 25% as compared to previous generation aircraft.

EVA Air has already demonstrated its leadership with SAF adoption in August 2023 when the carrier performed its first passenger flight from Haneda Airport to Songshan Airport using 40% SAF blend.

The Taiwanese airline has launched several operations improvement programmes, including low-drag approach, continuous descent operations and flexible loading of portable water. The carrier has also implemented near-term initiatives including a carbon offset programme which allows passengers to offer their carbon emissions by contributing to various environmental projects.

As a major lever in the journey towards the decarbonisation of the aerospace industry, SAF brings an average 80% reduction in carbon emissions over the life cycle compared with fossil fuels, from production to end use. All Airbus aircraft are already able to operate with up to 50% SAF. Airbus aims for all its aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100% SAF by 2030.

Caption 1: EVA Air and Airbus celebrated the upcoming introduction of 33 new generation aircraft at today’s “Towards Decarbonised Aviation” event. EVA Air President Clay Sun and Airbus CEO Christian Scherer co-hosted the event, and Civil Aeronautics Administration Director General Shu-Ping Ho was also in attendance.

Caption2: EVA Air President Clay Sun (left) presented a liuli art piece named “In Unity” to Airbus CEO Christian Scherer (right), symbolizing the boundless development of partnership. The figure-eight shape represents infinite possibilities and the spirit of working together, leading to a smooth and successful partnership in the future.

Caption 3: Airbus Executive Vice President Sales Benoît de Saint-Exupéry (right) presented an A321neo aircraft model to EVA Air Corporate Planning Division Executive Vice President Albert Liao (left), symbolizing the partnership between the two companies to provide passengers with a more comfortable flying experience. The 15 ordered aircraft are scheduled to be introduced starting in 2029, gradually replacing the existing A321-200 fleet.

Caption 4: Airbus CEO Christian Scherer (right) presented an A350-1000 model to EVA Air President Clay Sun (left), symbolizing the successful partnership and the joint commitment to sustainable aviation. This record-breaking order in Taiwan demonstrates EVA Air’s ongoing drive for excellence. The 18 aircraft are scheduled to be introduced starting in the first quarter of 2027, gradually replacing some older Boeing 777-300ERs to meet operational and expansion needs.

Caption 5: EVA Air President Clay Sun (third from left), Executive Vice President Albert Liao (second from left), Airbus CEO Christian Scherer (third from right), and Airbus Executive Vice President Sales Benoît de Saint-Exupéry (second from right) came together to celebrate the upcoming introduction of 33 new-generation aircraft. This significant investment will not only enhance operational efficiency but also provide passengers with a more comfortable flying experience.

Caption 6: EVA Air and Airbus have taken a significant step towards a more sustainable future with the signing of a “Towards Decarbonised Aviation” agreement by EVA Air President Clay Sun (left) and Airbus CEO Christian Scherer (right). The agreement will see the two companies working together to explore decarbonization options and prepare for the use of SAF, solidifying their strategic partnership.

Caption 7: EVA Air and Airbus shared their plans to achieve 2050 net-zero carbon emissions at the “Towards Decarbonised Aviation” event. Their strategies include introducing new-generation aircraft, using SAF, and optimizing operations.

Travel + Leisure readers voted on comfort, service, food, value

EVA Air has climbed from 4th place among Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” Top-10 International Airlines to 3rd. This is EVA’s best ranking since the travel brand’s readers first began giving it significant numbers of high votes in 2010. Based on their travel experiences, Travel + Leisure invites its readers to rate airlines for cabin comfort, ground and inflight service, food, reliable operations and value in the annual “World’s Best” survey. EVA’s performance demonstrates that it continues to deliver the same high quality service passengers from around the world consistently praise. Survey results are available on the Travel + Leisure website. Travelers can learn more about EVA, its COVID-19 protocols and book flights at www.evaair.com.

As they responded to the survey, Travel + Leisure readers complimented EVA as “one of the best airlines I’ve ever traveled with,” “excellent service and food” and “I can’t wait to fly them again!”

“We are especially grateful for the trust and support our passengers give us. Even as COVID-19 impacts the global airline industry in unprecedented ways that are completely changing air travel, we will never stop doing everything we can to give passengers the best possible service,” said EVA President Clay Sun. “We have worked hard to maintain basic services to most of our major destinations and always pay careful attention to the tiniest details, even when we have to simplify services and practice strict COVID-19 prevention measures. Now, we are adopting new technologies to enhance passenger services, working towards automated, paperless service. Our goal is to provide service from booking to arrival and baggage claim that is advantageous to everyone involved in the post-pandemic era.”

Travel + Leisure is an influential global travel brand with 6.1 million monthly readers of its print edition, 15.4 million website page views and 14.1 million social media followers. It invites readers to rate their travel experiences with airlines, airports, hotels, cities, islands and more in an annual survey that culminates with the “World’s Best Awards.”
The Travel + Leisure survey was open to readers from 11 January through 10 May, 2021. Readers were invited to participate through the print and tablet editions, newsletters, social media and at www.travelandleisure.com. Marketing & Research Resources, Inc. (M&RR)
maintained, monitored and kept the survey website secure, along with collecting and tabulating responses. In order of ranking, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Top-10 International Airlines for 2021 are Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, EVA, Emirates, La Compagnie, Turkish Airlines, Japan Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Korean Air and Air New Zealand.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, EVA began to evolve, introducing new features to make air travel more convenient for passengers, save them time at the airport and minimize personal contacts. It initiated automated online check-in and re-engineered boarding order to eliminate congestion at gates and onboard as passengers stow luggage and settle into their seats. It is also working with Affinidi, AOKpass and IATA Travel Pass to pilot programs that use apps to capture and verify passengers’ health credentials and PCR test results. These apps also make it easy for passengers to quickly check the latest updates to travel and entry regulations.

EVA’s high standards for service, cabin comfort, safety and now, COVID-19 prevention measures, consistently earn praise from industry and government organizations. It was recognized as 9th among the World’s Top-20 Airlines, 6th in the World’s Safest Airlines for 2021 and among the World’s Top-20 COVID-19 Compliant Airlines by AirlineRatings.com, 3rd in the World’s Best Airlines by TripAdvisor, 9th on the annual JACDEC Airline Safety Rankings and has been rated as a SKYTRAX 5-Star Airline every year since 2016.

About EVA Air
EVA Air is a Star Alliance member and one of only 10 SKYTRAX-rated 5-Star airlines worldwide. Travelers responding to SKYTRAX’s global survey voted EVA number one for the “World’s Cleanest Aircraft Cabins” and “Best Economy Class Airline Catering.” TripAdvisor recognized it among the “Top 10 Airlines – World” and awarded it top spots in four more categories in its Travelers’ Choice Awards for Airlines while Travel + Leisure readers ranked it in the Top-10 International Airlines. It also earned a place in AirlineRatings.com’s “Best of the Best” World’s Best Airlines 2021 after similarly high ratings for safety and COVID compliance in January.
The carrier was established in 1989 as Taiwan’s first privately owned international airline. It is part of the respected Evergreen Group and a sister company to global container-shipping leader Evergreen Line. It flies a fleet of more than 80 Boeing and Airbus aircraft to over 60 international destinations throughout Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America where gateways are Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver. Travelers can learn more about EVA destinations and schedules or book and buy tickets at www.evaair.com.