In joining United's Eco-Skies Alliance, the
49ers are the first NFL team to purchase sustainable aviation fuel
(SAF) in an effort to reduce emissions
SANTA
CLARA, Calif., Sept. 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United and the San Francisco 49ers announced today that the
team has become the first in the NFL to purchase sustainable
aviation fuel (SAF). As an initial step toward addressing emissions
concerns, the team has purchased enough SAF to cover its
game-related flying on United from San
Francisco to Los Angeles
this Sunday.
SAF is an alternative to conventional jet fuel that can reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85% on a lifecycle basis – from
production to end use – because it is made from renewable materials
rather than oil. United's SAF is certified by an independent
third-party as meeting several sustainability criteria, including
its carbon intensity.
United was the first airline to create a goal of reaching net
zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050, without relying on voluntary
carbon offsets, and remains a U.S. industry leader in the purchase
and use of SAF. The airline purchased more sustainable fuel than
any U.S. airline in 2023 and has used a blend of SAF at five
airports in the U.S. and Europe
including San Francisco
International Airport – among the most locations of any U.S.
airline.
"SAF has the potential to be a powerful tool to help reduce
carbon emissions from flying, but the industry is still in its
infancy, supply is limited, and most people don't know what it is,"
said United CEO Scott Kirby. "We're
proud to partner with like-minded organizations like the 49ers to
demonstrate and elevate to a broader audience why it's important to
support real solutions like SAF."
The 49ers have a strong history of leading community-based
initiatives and environmental stewardship in San Francisco. Levi's® Stadium was the first
United States professional
football stadium to have achieved a LEED Gold certification, and
its solar panels generate enough energy to power every 49ers home
game. United was also a founding partner of the
49ers' "Faithful to the Planet" initiative, a charitable
project led by the 49ers and several corporate partners to fund
programs that reduce pollution in the oceans, and plant and protect
new trees.
"We are thrilled to join United's Eco-Skies Alliance, and take
this important step towards reducing our carbon footprint," said
Brent Schoeb, Chief Revenue and
Marketing Officer for the 49ers. "As the first NFL team to invest
in SAF, this is a meaningful part of our commitment to more
sustainable practices, and we're grateful to United for leading the
way in this space."
About United's Eco-Skies Alliance
As a result of purchasing SAF, the 49ers joined United's
Eco-Skies AllianceSM, an innovative program designed for
participating companies to work together to share the "green
premium" or the cost associated with purchasing lower emission
fuels – SAF is 2x to 4x more expensive than traditional jet
fuel.
The Eco-Skies Alliance program was launched in April 2021 and has collectively contributed
toward the purchase of nearly 15 million gallons of SAF. With its
up to 85% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions on a lifecycle
basis compared to conventional jet fuel, this is enough SAF to
reduce approximately 150,000 metric tons of GHG emissions, or
enough to fly passengers close to 1 billion miles.
About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S.
hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, New
York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most
comprehensive global route network among North American carriers
and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by
available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team,
please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the
company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the
parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq
under the symbol "UAL".
About the San
Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers, owned
by the York family, currently play in the NFC West division and
have won five Super Bowl trophies including Super Bowl XVI, XIX,
XXIII, XXIV and XXIX. The franchise also has eight conference
championships and 22 divisional championships and was the first
major league professional sports team to be based in San Francisco over 75 years ago. Please visit
49ers.com and follow the 49ers on Facebook and Twitter @49ers.
Forward-Looking Statements and Other Important
Information
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995 relating to, among other things, plans and projections
regarding the company's environmental, social or governance (ESG)
goals, targets, commitments, strategies and initiatives and related
business and stakeholder impacts. All statements that are not
statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be,
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are
based on historical performance and current expectations,
estimates, forecasts and projections about our future financial
results, plans, objectives, goals, targets, commitments, strategies
and initiatives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and
uncertainties, known or unknown, including internal or external
factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, that are
difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our
future financial results, plans, objectives, goals, targets,
commitments, strategies and initiatives to differ materially from
those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks,
assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others,
any failure to meet stated ESG goals, targets, commitments,
strategies and initiatives in the time frame expected or at all as
a result of many factors, including changing societal, market,
competitive, regulatory or stakeholder expectations, and any delay
or failure of any project to be fully developed or become
operational or to produce sustainable aviation fuel or other
ESG-related product in the amounts contemplated or at all. No
forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking
statements in this press release should be evaluated together with
the many risks and uncertainties that affect United's business and
market, particularly those identified in the "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections in United's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2023, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Risks and uncertainties related
to United's environmental compliance, climate commitments and
climate strategy are further described in Part I, Item 1A. Risk
Factors of United's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2023—"We are
subject to many forms of environmental regulation and liability as
well as risks associated with climate change and may incur
substantial costs as a result. In addition, failure to achieve or
demonstrate progress towards our climate goals may expose us to
liability and reputational harm."
The statements included in this press release are made only as
of the date of this press release and except as otherwise required
by applicable law or regulation, United Airlines undertakes no
obligation to publicly update or revise any statement, whether as a
result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or
otherwise. In particular, United Airlines reserves the right to
change, amend, supplement or abandon some or all of the statements
regarding goals, targets, commitments, strategies, initiatives,
intentions and other statements from time to time without
notice.
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SOURCE United Airlines