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BA has invested in a sustainable aviation fuel company, finding resources to back its decarbonisation plans despite the coronavirus pandemic, as pressure grows on airlines to cut emissions when travel restarts in earnest. British Airways, owned by IAG, said on Tuesday it would invest in LanzaJet, a company that is building a plant to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on a commercial scale in Georgia in the United States. BA said last year it needed to cut 13,000 staff or about a third of its workforce to survive. Flying continues to be at very low levels all over the world due to COVID-19 restrictions. But at the same time, pressure is growing on carriers to cut carbon emissions. The industry also hopes that by reducing its carbon footprint, it can win back passengers who, due to COVID-19, have realised they do not need to fly as much. Sustainable aviation fuel generally has up to 80% less carbon emissions than conventional jet fuel, and is produced from biomass or recycled carbon. <br/>

Cathay Pacific will exempt passengers in business class or first class cabins from wearing a face mask when they recline their seat to a fully-flat position. Cathay Pacific's reasoning is that the high enclosures surrounding its business class seats and first class suites, along with the greater degree of personal space and thus the distance between travellers, helps combat the airborne spread of coronavirus between passengers. The Hong Kong-based airline made face masks compulsory for all passengers on May 15 at all stages of their journey, from airport check-in to lounges as well as during the flight. However, in an internal memo issued on Friday, Cathay Pacific advised crew that a mask exemption will apply "when a passenger is lying flat in business or first class." A Cathay Pacific spokesperson later confirmed the softened rules, advising that "seats in first and business class are more spacious with partitions, and passengers are exempted when lying flat for sleep." <br/>