Airbus, in a landmark collaboration with London Gatwick Airport, easyJet, and Air Products—the world’s largest hydrogen supplier—has taken a significant step toward introducing a hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035. This partnership underscores a shared commitment to developing sustainable aviation technologies and infrastructure essential for supporting hydrogen-based flight systems.

Under the initiative titled “Hydrogen Hubs at Airports,” Airbus and its partners aim to establish comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure at London Gatwick. This includes provisions for liquid hydrogen supply and storage, refueling operations, and ground handling of hydrogen aircraft. The collaboration also explores other potential uses of hydrogen at the airport in the short term, laying foundational work for broader applications in aviation.

The choice of London Gatwick as the testbed for these pioneering efforts is strategic. The airport’s prominence as the UK’s leading hub for short to medium haul routes aligns with the initial focus of hydrogen-powered aircraft. easyJet’s expertise as a short-haul carrier further enriches the project, providing critical operational insights essential for the R&D into supportive infrastructure.

Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus Vice President of the ZEROe Project, emphasized the importance of transitioning to hydrogen as a sustainable fuel alternative. “Our licence to operate hinges on finding better ways to fly. We know hydrogen has the versatility to be an excellent fuel source for decarbonizing the industry. We’ve set ambitious targets to fly on hydrogen by 2035, and this technology needs to be supported by reliable and tested infrastructure,” Llewellyn stated.

Echoing the sentiment, Stewart Wingate, CEO of London Gatwick, highlighted hydrogen’s role in achieving net zero emissions at the airport. “Hydrogen stands out as having real potential to help us decarbonize Scope 3 emissions, particularly for the short haul aircraft that dominate our operations. We aim to be net zero for the emissions we control—Scope 1 and 2—ten years early, by 2030,” Wingate added.

David Morgan, COO of easyJet, commented on the project’s broader impact. “Hydrogen is going to play an important role in decarbonizing aviation, so we need to lay the groundwork now. The Gatwick hub demonstrates the industry’s intent to adapt and work together to reach the common goal of decarbonizing aviation.”

Suzanne Lowe, Vice President and General Manager at Air Products for the UK, Ireland, Israel, and Italy, shared her company’s dedication to advancing hydrogen technologies. “We’re incredibly pleased to contribute our decades of experience to this exciting project. The Hydrogen Hubs at Airports framework is an important milestone in paving the way for sustainable aviation and future proofing the UK economy,” Lowe said.

This initiative is part of a broader effort by Airbus and easyJet, which includes working with Hydrogen South West to develop a regional hydrogen infrastructure ecosystem in the South West of England. Additionally, the “Hydrogen Hub at Airports” programme has already secured agreements with partners and airports in 13 countries, reflecting a growing international commitment to sustainable aviation fueled by hydrogen.

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