Vueling pioneers in Europe for shark skin technology
Vueling, one of Europe's leading low-cost carriers, has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent with MicroTau, an Australian company specialising in aerospace technologies, to become the first European airline to be a customer of the revolutionary "shark skin" technology. The agreement aims to support the certification of the Riblet Modification Package, a film inspired by the microstructure of shark skin designed to reduce the aerodynamic drag of aircraft.
Applicable externally to aircraft without structural interventions, the technology reproduces the microgrooves (riblets) naturally present on shark skin. These grooves, invisible to the naked eye, allow the animal to swim while reducing water resistance: the same principle is now transferred to flight, with a potential reduction in CO₂ emissions of up to 4%.
This collaboration is part of Vueling's broader sustainable mobility strategy, which includes the use of sustainable fuels (SAF), the rationalisation of routes to reduce fuel consumption and the lightening of on-board weight to improve efficiency.
The initiative confirms the carrier's commitment to supporting the adoption of innovative and bio-inspired technologies to accelerate the sector's transition towards more responsible air mobility with a lower environmental impact.
