In celebration of this year’s Sustainable Flight Challenge, KLM has pulled out all the stops to operate the greenest possible flights between its base in Amsterdam (AMS), Trondheim (TRD), and Los Angeles (LAX).

Green Operator

Running from May 16 to 18, 2023’s Sustainable Flight Challenge saw KLM join 21 other airlines, including ITA Airways, Air France, and China Airlines, to operate a series of eco-friendly flights across the globe. KLM’s efforts focused on four services, KL1173 and KL117 Amsterdam – Trondheim and KL603 and KL604 Amsterdam – Los Angeles, giving the carrier a chance to apply over 100 new and pre-existing sustainability measures on both short and long-haul services.

KLM’s 2023 flights built on its experience from last year’s challenge, in which the carrier operated a long-haul round trip between Amsterdam and Edmonton (YEG) in Canada, slashing CO2 emissions by 37% compared to regular services through the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

The short-haul leg of the challenge to Trondheim was operated with one of the carriers’ regional Embraer E190 aircraft, while Los Angeles was served with KLM’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner. SAF was once again a high priority for the airline, which selected a 50% SAF blend, the challenge maximum, to power its aircraft. While the fuel can cut up to 75% of carbon emissions, the carrier has yet to publish the outcome of the true impact of its fuel usage.

KLM’s flight crew and local air traffic controllers worked in tandem to chart flight routes, predict wind, ideal climb and descent paths, and the optimum speed for the aircraft to burn as little fuel as possible. Ground and cargo operations similarly optimized load weight to reduce wind resistance in-flight, cutting fuel burn further.

In Cabin Support

Remaining optimistic but pragmatic, KLM also examined several cabin options to cut weight in flight. All crew onboard the Los Angeles leg was kitted out in a new uniform developed with sustainability in mind. The sustainable blouse and shirt option comprises organic cotton and recycled polyester. Crew members were also provided lightweight trainers and a new suitcase made from recycled plastic bottles to cut onboard weight further.

Want to know more about sustainability in aviation?

Passengers in-flight were treated to a completely meat-free meal, a noticeable jump from last year’s 50% less meat offering. While not directly impacting flight emissions, the global production of meat products for consumption creates nearly double that of its plant-based alternatives, according to The Guardian, with the flight’s goal to raise awareness of ways to cut your carbon footprint daily.

“It’s our responsibility to pursue further sustainability in aviation. Many of our colleagues strive to achieve this daily. The great thing about the Sustainable Flight Challenge is that all of us – from flight crew to ground personnel and from passenger to cargo services – really do our utmost to achieve the very best sustainability performance,” explained Maarten Stienen, KLM’s COO and Managing Director.

“Some of these initiatives cannot be upscaled to our broader fleet yet, but we can apply them on these flights to Trondheim and Los Angeles. It is wonderful to see the passion and enthusiasm of people working on these initia­tives at all levels of the company.”

So, what’s next? KLM and its challenge partners are set to release the results of the challenge towards the end of June, with the knowledge developed and streamlined for future sustainability endeavors. Keep your eyes peeled.

What are your thoughts on KLM’s sustainable flight? What other eco-friendly measures would you like to see the carrier implement? Let us know in the comments.

Source: The Guardian

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  KLM

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  KL/KLM

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

  Year Founded:

  1919

  Alliance:

  SkyTeam

  Airline Group:

  Air France-KLM

  CEO:

  Marjan Rintel

  Country:

  Netherlands