Story ID: 334
Lufthansa Technik Expands AeroShark Rollout
By: Jessica Reed
Caption: Austrian Airlines and EVA Air are using the drag-reducing surface film
Word Count: 494
Lufthansa Technik’s fuel-saving AeroShark technology is continuing its global expansion. Developed in partnership with BASF, AeroShark is a surface film designed to mimic shark skin's drag-reducing properties, resulting in fuel savings and lower CO2 emissions. The technology has now been adopted by Austrian Airlines and EVA Air, marking a new phase in its implementation across different Boeing 777 variants.
Starting in December 2024, four of Austrian Airlines' Boeing 777-200ERs will be fitted with the AeroShark surface film. The technology, applied to approximately 830 square meters of the aircraft's fuselage and engine nacelles, is expected to reduce the airline’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by around 1% per aircraft.
Although this percentage might seem small, Austrian Airlines expects substantial fuel savings—about 2,650 tonnes of jet-A—over the four-year service life of these aircraft. Additionally, the airline estimates that it will avoid more than 8,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions—the equivalent of 46 transatlantic flights between Vienna and New York.
Francesco Sciortino, Austrian Airlines' COO, emphasized the airline's commitment to sustainability. “We take our responsibility seriously and take every possible step to reduce CO2 emissions within our flight operations. 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.”
Austrian Airlines is not the only carrier investing in AeroShark technology. In August, EVA Air became the first Asian airline to adopt the drag-reducing film, modifying its entire fleet of nine Boeing 777F freighters. The first aircraft, B-16786, was fitted with the riblet film at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, and the rest of the fleet will follow. EVA Air anticipates annual fuel savings of more than 2,500 tonnes of jet-A, alongside a reduction of 7,800 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
“EVA Air is continually progressing towards its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, constantly seeking the latest technologies to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Albert Liao, executive v-p of EVA Air’s corporate planning division. “This innovation not only reduces fuel consumption but also lowers CO2 emissions. EVA Air will continuously monitor the actual fuel-saving benefits and further evaluate additional aircraft to be equipped with this technology.”
Lufthansa Technik holds supplemental type certificates for the AeroShark modification of two Boeing 777 variants, and the technology is now in full swing across multiple airlines. A total of 17 aircraft have already been equipped, including 12 Boeing 777-300ERs operated by Swiss International Air Lines and four Boeing 777Fs by Lufthansa Cargo.
The growing adoption of AeroShark is a testament to its effectiveness in reducing frictional resistance, fuel consumption, and emissions. As Wassef Ayadi, senior director of customer relations at Lufthansa Technik, highlighted, “EVA Air is well known for both its pioneering spirit and its technical expertise. We are proud that with AeroShark, we can provide international pioneers like EVA Air with a real quick-win measure to reduce the environmental footprint of their operations.”