News

Virgin Atlantic has successfully completed the first commercial flight powered by biofuel.

A Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 fuelled with naturally-derived materials left Heathrow airport on 24 February and landed at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

The fuel used for the flight came from a mixture of Brazilian babassu nuts and coconuts.

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson said: 'This pioneering flight will enable those of us who are serious about reducing our carbon emissions to go on developing the fuels of the future.'

However, environmental campaigners dismissed the flight as a gimmick designed to attract publicity and said that biofuels are not the solution to climate change.

Groups including Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace said that slowing down the rapid expansion of airports and the aviation industry was the way to limit damage to the environment.

Airbus, Boeing's plane manufacturer rival, tested another alternative fuel earlier this month – a synthetic mixture of gas and liquid.

Opodo is a leading online travel company offering flights, hotels, rental cars and holidays worldwide. Search for travel deals.