Centrair airport prioritises sustainable aviation fuel to restore passenger numbers

Chubu Centrair International Airport in central Japan will prioritise securing feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and raising public awareness on SAF to increase passenger and airliner traffic, according to S&P Global.

Naoyuki Shigeno from Centrair stated at a conference on carbon neutrality in Tokyo on 24 February that SAF availability at airports is becoming an important factor for both passengers and airlines when selecting airports.

Centrair is working to restore the number of international passengers and airliners at the airport to pre-pandemic levels. The number of international passengers at Centrair over April-December 2025 declined 22 per cent from the same period in 2019, the year before the pandemic. International aircraft landings and takeoffs at the airport over the same period decreased 23 per cent.

Conversely, the number of international tourists visiting Japan over April-December 2025 rose 34.9 per cent from the same period in 2019, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

To support SAF production, Centrair is partnering with local governments to collect used cooking oil for processing at the Sakai plant in western Japan, operated by Cosmo Oil, the country's third-largest refiner. The airport is working to build public awareness of SAF through media outreach across generations.

Centrair has signed agreements with over 11 local governments in Aichi, central Japan, where the airport is located. Centrair expects to secure approximately 130,000 litres of used cooking oil in 2026.

In May 2025, a DHL Express cargo plane at Centrair was refuelled with SAF made from used cooking oil collected in Aichi. Centrair aims to reduce carbon emissions from airport facilities by 46 per cent from fiscal year 2013 levels by FY 2030, and to achieve zero carbon emissions by FY 2050.

Read the full story on Centrair airport's sustainable aviation fuel prioritisation strategy.