Greener Only Scales When It's Less Expensive

Greener Only Scales When It's Less Expensive

From Tacos and Tech Podcast by Neal Bloom

June 17, 2026 · 43 min

About this episode

Neal Bloom discusses the economics of decarbonizing flight with industry leaders at Natilus HQ.

Episode Summary Recorded at Natilus HQ in downtown San Diego, Neal sits down with Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of Natilus, and Dr. Fabiano Piccinno, Global Head of Sustainability for Air Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel, for a roundtable on the real economics of decarbonizing flight. They get into why ordering a new plane today means a 12-year wait, why sustainable aviation fuel still costs nearly double Jet A, and how Natilus’s blended wing body cuts cost and emissions at the same time - the rare case where the greener choice is also the less expensive one. Along the way: fuel-price shocks emptying transatlantic cabins, aviation’s pull back toward defense, and a FedEx flight that hops the San Diego–Tijuana border in ten minutes. Plus the best plant-based tacos in Mexico City. Key Topics * The 12-year backlog to order a new aircraft * Why global aircraft production must nearly double * Sustainable aviation fuel at ~2x the cost of Jet A * Blended wing body: 30% less drag, ~50% lower cost * When sustainability and economics finally align * Fuel volatility emptying transatlantic flights * Aviation’s pull toward defense and dual-use * Inside the Natilus × Kuehne+Nagel feasibility…

People in this episode

Host: Neal Bloom

Guests: Aleksey Matyushev, Dr. Fabiano Piccinno

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Natilus, Kuehne+Nagel, ZeroAvia

Places: San Diego, Mexico City, Tijuana

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