Nairobi — Qatar Airways has entered into a landmark agreement with key players across the aviation, fuel and educational sectors to power its aircraft with natural gas.

Qatar Airways operates daily flights from Nairobi and Dar es Salaam to Doha with onward connections to a network of over 80 destinations.

The airline also has two freighter services each week between Nairobi and Doha, which carry horticultural produce for export markets.

The revolutionary move will see Qatar Airways become the first commercial airline in the world to operate flights using gas-to-liquids kerosene fuel - seen as the technology of the future one that will be environmentally friendly, helping to significantly reduce carbon emissions and impact on climate change.

A letter of intent has been signed to investigate fuel-related benefits of using synthetic jet fuels to power aviation turbine engines.

Qatar Airways has been joined by Qatar Petroleum, Shell, Airbus, Rolls Royce, Qatar Science and Technology Park and Qatar fuel company Woqod in the intensive study to be carried out over the next few years.

During the "working together agreement" signing ceremony, qatar airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker spoke of how the global spotlight was firmly on the most sensitive issue facing the world - the need to be more environmentally responsible.

"There is a huge movement lobbying for the reduction of carbon emissions to make for a cleaner and safer environment," he said. "The aviation industry has been at the centre of this highly topical debate. We as industry leaders are committed to this cause.

Mr Al Baker said, "Together with our partners, we will work in close collaboration to study the use of synthetic jet fuels, or GTL kerosene in our drive towards a cleaner and safer world. And we at Qatar Airways look forward to becoming the first airline in the world to power commercial aircraft with natural gas."

The consortium's research will focus on the benefits of using gas-to-liquid (GTL) kerosene, with particular emphasis on improved air quality, fuel economy and reduced carbon emissions at airports and at cruising altitude.

Training and research will be carried out at the Qatar Science and Technology Park, a world-class education and research centre run under the auspices of Qatar Foundation.

Qatar Petroleum and Shell are currently building a multi-billion dollar fully integrated gas-to-liquids complex, which is set to transform the Qatar into the GTL capital of the world. GTL kerosene will be an important component of the Pearl GTL project, intended to be marketed as a natural gas-derived synthetic component for jet fuel.

Aircraft fuel currently accounts for as much as 40 per cent of an airline's operating costs. With spiralling jet fuel prices, GTL kerosene is expected to significantly reduce carbon emissions, reduce fuel burn and improve aircraft operational efficiency.

Mr Al Baker added, "Qatar Airways is already a major player in the International Air Transport Association's ongoing fuel-saving campaign designed to reduce carbon emissions."

He said Qatar Airways runs a department that specifically looks at ways to reduce fuel burn by eliminating unnecessary weight on aircraft, lighter inflight amenities and meal equipment.