During the challenge, Kenya Airways operated a groundbreaking long-haul flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam, becoming the first African airline to employ Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for such a journey.
By EB Content Studio
National carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ), has been conferred with the ‘Best Innovation’ and the ‘Most Impactful Breakthrough’ awards at the 2023 Sustainable Flight Challenge.
The awards were presented in recognition of the airline’s pioneering use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on a long-haul flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam, marking it as the first African carrier to accomplish the feat.
The awards ceremony took place at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on October 3, 2023.
The achievement follows Kenya Airways’ successful participation in the Sustainable Flight Challenge 2023, an initiative organized by the SkyTeam Alliance that brought together 22 airlines, including SkyTeam members and select ‘friends and family’ airlines, to compete in promoting sustainable aviation practices.
During the challenge, Kenya Airways operated a groundbreaking long-haul flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam, becoming the first African airline to employ Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for such a journey.
Allan Kilavuka, Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways, expressed his pride in receiving the awards, stating, “The ‘Best Innovation’ award marks the beginning of our commitment to pioneering sustainable aviation practices and driving positive change within our industry. This is a collective win for all KQ employees, our valued stakeholders, and the planet we serve. It inspires us to continue our journey towards a more environmentally responsible aviation industry.”
The Sustainable Flight Challenge 2023 saw the collective operation of 72 flights by participating airlines, generating over 350 innovative ideas aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of air travel. Notably, this year’s challenge resulted in an average 19% reduction in CO2 intensity compared to similar flights conducted the previous month. These innovative solutions have the potential to drive positive change throughout the aviation industry.
Patrick Roux, CEO of SkyTeam Alliance, praised Kenya Airways for its remarkable achievement in spearheading sustainable aviation practices. He emphasized that this accomplishment represents a significant advancement in environmental initiatives within the aviation sector and underscores Kenya Airways’ dedication to a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. He also expressed excitement about the innovative solutions and approaches generated by participating airlines, which have the potential to reshape the industry.
He added: “Alliances were built on cooperation and SkyTeam’s Sustainable Flight Challenge demonstrates how working together beyond the traditional realms of network and customer service can help reduce aviation’s impact. The participating airlines have sparked hundreds of new solutions and ways of working that have the potential to bring about positive action and drive wider industry change while we await game-changing technology and greater availability of sustainable aviation fuels.”
The Oscars of sustainability
The SAF 2023 saw participation from 22 airlines and resulted in an average 19% reduction in CO2 intensity compared to flights operated in the previous month.
Among the other notable award winners at the ceremony were KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, recognised for their impressive adoption of sustainable solutions; Air France, acknowledged for their outstanding collaboration through the OLGA (Holistic Green Airport) project; and China Eastern, commended for their substantial reduction in emissions through increased payload fractions. The rest of the winners included TAROM, and Air Europa. The challenge took place between May 15 and May 28, with the 22 participating airlines implementing their best sustainability solutions and vying for awards in 32 categories.
It covers flight and ground operations, with each airline’s solutions judged by a panel of international aviation and sustainability experts. The winners of the 25 sub-categories were announced in September, and yesterday, the seven overall award winners learned of their success.
According to a technical analysis done at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), SAF has the greatest potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80%.
It can be produced from a number of sources (feedstock) including waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste and non-food crops. It can also be produced synthetically via a process that captures carbon directly from the air.
The fuel is ‘sustainable’ because the raw feedstock does not compete with food crops or water supplies, or is responsible for forest degradation. Whereas fossil fuels add to the overall level of CO2 by emitting carbon that had been previously locked away, SAF recycles the CO2 which has been absorbed by the biomass used in the feedstock during the course of its life.
