A Conversation with American Airlines Vice President of Sustainability Jill Blickstein

Sustainability SmartPod

If you've flown on American Airlines recently, there's a chance your plane was fueled by a small amount of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Jill Blickstein, Vice President of Sustainability at American Airlines, joins the show (18:27) to talk about the latest advancements in SAF, fleet upgrades the airline has made to enhance its sustainability and an AI-enabled system called 'Smart Gating' that conserves fuel and saves time for travelers. American Airlines is undertaking numerous initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. As Jill explains, many of those efforts come in places passengers might not notice, but certainly lead to more sustainable air travel.
Highlights from Jill Blickstein
Update on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) - (20:10)
American Airlines' goals for SAF usage - (23:56)
Using SAF to attract business travelers - (26:36)
Creating a SAF certificate for all travelers - (30:22)
The potential for zero-emission hydrogen-electric aircraft - (30:47)
Partnering with the Bill Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy Catalyst - (33:24)
Other sustainability initiatives at American Airlines - (35:10)
'Smart Gating' - (39:47)
Powering operations with renewable energy - (42:20)
Validation from the Science-Based Targets initiative - (43:02)
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