DB Schenker signs record-breaking commitment to Cathay’s Corporate SAF Programme

Cathay continues to make progress in growing its sustainable aviation fuel programme with the forwarding giant giving it a significant boost to reduce emissions for its cargo shipments

DB Schenker is the latest member of the air-cargo community to join Cathay’s Corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Programme. With its commitment to reduce its carbon emissions through the programme, DB Schenker has become the biggest contributor to the scheme to date.

The Corporate SAF Programme was established in 2022 to help tackle climate change. It enables members to purchase SAF for uplift on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Cargo flights, from Hong Kong and other ports on the network. By joining and committing to buy 878 tonnes of SAF (the equivalent of 290,000 US gallons), DB Schenker has further demonstrated its commitment to reducing the climate impact of its air cargo activities, which dates back to 2020 when it started to use SAF for a proportion of its transport volumes.

SAF is a crucial tool for the aviation industry to reduce emissions as it works towards its target of carbon neutrality by 2050. Cathay Pacific has committed to 10% of its fuel needs being derived from SAF by 2030. The project runs alongside Cathay Cargo’s Fly Greener programme, which offers high-quality carbon offsetting through Gold Standard certified community and environmental projects.

The Cathay Group also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Singapore Airlines to collaborate on a variety of initiatives to promote the development and take-up of SAF in the Asia Pacific region, and to highlight SAF’s central role in the decarbonisation of aviation. Ahead of that, Cathay Cargo has secured orders for new next-generation Airbus A350F freighters, which offer greater fuel economy.

Cathay Director Cargo Tom Owen said: “We are delighted to welcome DB Schenker as the newest member of the Cathay Corporate SAF Programme – and the biggest contributor to date. It is great to have this level of support from such an important player in the air cargo industry to work with us in decarbonising aviation. By replacing conventional jet fuel with sustainable aviation fuel, DB Schenker’s commitment is the equivalent of saving more than 2,600 tonnes in CO2 emissions. This powerfully conveys the message that there is real and growing demand for SAF and this partnership is testament to the collaborative ethos of Greener Together, as we move one step closer to the goal of a more sustainable air cargo industry.”

DB becomes the first Intermodal Partner of Star Alliance

As of August 1, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be the world’s first Intermodal Partner of Star Alliance. With this, DB and the aviation industry are sending another strong signal for the environment-friendly evolution of the travel industry. Under the new cooperation, DB customers and passengers of Star Alliance member airlines will be able to start or end their long-distance journey comfortably on the climate-friendly train. Germany is the first market and DB is the world’s first partner in the new Star Alliance initiative.

An industry-first, Star Alliance’s Intermodal Partnership model intelligently combines airlines with railway, bus, ferry or any other transport ecosystem, alliance-wide. It is designed to link loyalty systems and facilitate seamless airport/station/port transit. Star Alliance plans to expand intermodal partnerships in the future.

Michael Peterson, Board Member for Long-Distance Passenger Transport: “From Freiburg to Singapore: you only need one ticket for that. With attractive inner-German connections and simultaneous links to international travel chains, Deutsche Bahn and Star Alliance make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions in the transport sector. The new partnership complements our successful cooperation with Lufthansa Express Rail, where the number of bookings has more than doubled since 2010. This is how we get more people off the plane and onto the environmentally friendly rail. In close cooperation with the airlines, we are now tackling the mobility turnaround. We are further networking our offers in such a way that we can optimally use the respective strengths of our modes of transport.”

Jeffrey Goh, CEO Star Alliance: “Today brings great forces together and opens the Star Alliance doors beyond the airline ecosystem. Our new model for intermodal partnerships promises seamless coexistence between different modes of transport throughout the alliance. We welcome Deutsche Bahn as our first intermodal partner to Star Alliance.”

Harry Hohmeister, member of the board at Deutsche Lufthansa AG: „ Our partnership is unique worldwide. Once again, we are pioneers in Germany for intelligently linking different types of transport. We are creating added value for customers, for Germany as a business location, for the environment and for society. Mobility of the future means mastering challenges together. The successful Lufthansa Express Rail cooperation is an outstanding example of this – and on this foundation, we are now taking the next logical step. Our customers will benefit from this partnership more than ever before.“

The new partnership between DB and Star Alliance builds on the Lufthansa Express Rail program. Lufthansa customers have been able to buy a combined ticket for trains and flights in one booking step for more than 20 years. In the future, in addition to Lufthansa, all 25 other Star Alliance member airlines will be able to include DB’s environmentally friendly ICE trains as a flight number in their booking engine and customers will benefit from advantages such as:

In just one booking process, airline customers receive a combined ticket for the flight and train journeys including seat reservation. Upon check-in – which is possible until shortly before the train departs – travelers receive their boarding passes for both the flight and the train journeys.

With integrated ICE train journeys, air travelers will have even more choice based on timings, duration and prices offered.

Customers also benefit from priority baggage handling and other services in the AiRail check-in area at the Frankfurt Airport.

For all bookings of combined train-flight journeys via Lufthansa Express Rail or, also with the member airlines of the Star Alliance, points or miles can be collected for the train journeys in the preferred frequent flyer programs of the airlines.

In addition, Business and First-Class flight customers of Star Alliance member airlines will receive additional benefits with an LH Express Rail ticket, such as access to the DB lounges.