Flights will begin after official approval has been received from the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) allowing the use of jet fuel produced using Neste Oil's NExBTL technology, which produces renewable fuel from vegetable oil and animal fat.

Approval is expected to take place in spring 2011.

Lufthansa's flight programme is part of a development project supported by the German Ministry of Economics and Technology that in addition to Lufthansa involves companies such as MTU and Deutsche Airbus as well as a number of universities.

During the initial phase, flights powered with renewable jet fuel will take place between Frankfurt and Hamburg (Germany). The aircraft on the route will use a blend of 50% NExBTL renewable jet fuel and 50% fossil-based jet fuel in one engine, while the other engine will use conventional jet fuel.