SWISS has become the first airline globally to integrate solar fuel into its regular flight operations, marking a major step forward in aviation decarbonisation. The solar-derived synthetic crude oil, produced by Swiss clean-tech firm Synhelion at its DAWN facility, was refined into certified Jet-A1 fuel and used to partially power a flight from Hamburg to Zurich.

The fuel, equivalent to around 7% of a single flight’s needs, was blended into the airport’s existing supply system – demonstrating seamless compatibility with current infrastructure and underscoring the technology’s scalability.

SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger hailed the move as a “genuine milestone” in the airline’s long-term partnership with Synhelion. “This is the first time solar fuel has been used in civil aviation,” he said. “We’re proud to be pioneering this development together.”

Synhelion’s co-founder Philipp Furler described the delivery as both symbolic and substantial. “This step brings us closer to scaling solar fuel globally. The support from SWISS and the Lufthansa Group has been invaluable,” he said.

The successful use of solar fuel in commercial operations confirms Synhelion’s technology as a promising and scalable route to reducing aviation’s reliance on fossil fuels.