From winter 2024, four Boeing 777-200ERs of Austrian Airlines will be equipped with Lufthansa Technik’s fuel-saving AeroSHARK surface film technology.

This is expected to give a total saving of approximately 2,650 metric tonnes of fuel and over 8,300 metric tonnes of CO2 over a service life of four years. This corresponds to approximately 46 flights from Vienna to New York.

The ‘sharkskin technology’ reduces frictional resistance during flight and thus lowers the kerosene consumption and CO2 emissions of long-haul aircraft.

Francesco Sciortino, chief operating officer at Austrian Airlines, said: “We take our responsibility seriously and take every possible step to reduce CO2 emissions within our flight operations.

“At 1%, the sharkskin’s efficiency potential may not sound like much, but in total it will save thousands of tonnes of CO2 per year on long-haul flights. Even though our Boeing 777-200ERs are in their final years of service, we take this investment to get one step closer to our CO2 reduction targets.”

Harald Gloy, chief operating officer at Lufthansa Technik, said: “The rollout of the fuel-saving sharkskin technology on another aircraft type with Austrian Airlines is great news for other Boeing 777-200ER operators as well.

“These are the first of hopefully many more aircraft of this type that, thanks to AeroSHARK, will have lower kerosene consumption and an improved carbon footprint.”

Lufthansa Technik says the modification of the four Austrian Airlines’ Boeing 777-200ERs should be completed by March 2025.

READ MORE NEWS: SWISS 777 fleet modified with AeroSHARK fuel-saving technology