Aviation stands as one of the most carbon-intensive and challenging sectors to decarbonise due to its inherently global nature and the complexities involved in reducing its environmental impact.
Countries each have their own unique set of regulations that cannot be enforced unilaterally, limiting the impact of sustainability measures.
There has been buzz around sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has mandated that airlines meeting specific criteria monitor and report their emissions, and offset any increases above a 2019 baseline. This is achieved by either using SAF or purchasing SAF certificates.
The Civil Aviation Authority Singapore has announced a national target for SAF to comprise 1% of the fuel that is uplifted onto flights departing Singapore from 2026. Additionally, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot announced a target to substitute 5% of total fuel uplifted with SAF by 2030.
However, there are several limitations towards the widespread adoption of SAF, such as high production costs, limited availability and reliance on specific feedstocks.
Ferry flights
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Ferry flights are also a significant contributor to the aviation sector’s carbon emissions. A ferry flight is an operational flight performed to reposition an aircraft without passengers or revenue-generating cargo.
These flights are typically used to deliver a new or used aircraft to a buyer, return an aircraft to its base or transport it for maintenance. Essentially, these are empty flights used solely for moving the aircraft itself.
Ferry flights make up anywhere from 30% to 50% of all private flights. Private aviation group Vista, which owns VistaJet and XO, aims to change that.
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While SAF is crucial for future decarbonisation, its short-term impact is marginal compared to flying less. VistaJet claims to be the first and only global business aviation company, and has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 207 countries and territories, covering 96% of the world.
Founded in 2004, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers have access to an entire fleet while paying only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership.
“We operate a no-home-base model,” says Amy Yang, Vista’s vice-president of marketing in Apac & IMEA, at a panel discussion on ultra-high-networth trends in Singapore on June 19.
Instead of fixed home bases, VistaJet owns a globally distributed fleet registered in Malta, with hubs worldwide. VistaJet’s signature program membership offers clients a bespoke subscription of flight hours with access to the Vista members’ fleet of over 300 aircraft around the world.
Clients subscribe to the “Program” — a multi-year, bespoke commitment that secures hourly flight availability, or they opt for “Direct”, which offers on-demand booking.
Traditional operators often charge “positioning” or ferry fees to relocate an empty jet for a one-way trip, which can run into tens of thousands of dollars.
With VistaJet, passengers are only charged for airborne time, regardless of where they fly. Yang explains that if a client wants to leave a particular country, they would already have an aircraft in that country to pick them up.
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“To be able to do that, you really need to have that global scale to be able to really facilitate all the flight demand … one aircraft is not going to cut it,” says Yang, adding that VistaJet’s extensive reach and super-midsize fleet positions the company to meet growing luxury aviation demand.
VistaJet also uses AI-driven flight planning tools to optimise route, speed and altitude selections, as well as fleetwide positioning. According to their website, they reportedly cut fuel consumption per flight by 8%.
In addition, AI forecasts client demand and reallocates assets ahead of time, substantially reducing idle repositioning.
Commercial aviation accounts for around 2% to 3% of global emissions. Business jets represent a small share of total flights, but they have a much higher per-passenger emissions footprint. Thus, reducing ferry flights creates systemic efficiencies and supplements the adoption of SAF by replacing necessary emissions with cleaner options.
With its concentration of wealth, political stability and service excellence, Singapore is emerging as Southeast Asia’s main hub for luxury experiences and financial conferences.
Vista saw three-digit growth figures in Vista’s flight traffic during key event periods. “In 2024, VistaJet further saw a 10% growth in its Memberships in Southeast Asia, whereas XO — Vista’s instantaneous and real-time priced private jet marketplace — saw doubled flight traffic y-o-y growth in Singapore,” says Yang.
In comparison with the daily average of flight traffic in Singapore across 2024, Vista noted a 362% spike during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Singapore in March 2024, as it was the singer’s sole stop in Southeast Asia.
Also, the 2024 Formula One Singapore Grand Prix drew a 168% surge in daily average flight traffic, according to Vista.
The race weekend coincided with other major financial events in the city, such as The Milken Institute Asia Summit and the Global Trade Review Congress.
