Skyteam, the youngest airline alliance of the big three, is launching a sustainable flight challenge. In total, 22 global airlines will participate in this year’s iteration, competing for seven awards with 72 flights – an expansion from last year’s 22 flights by 16 airlines.

Sustainable Flight Challenge an Incubator for Innovation

As Patrick Roux, SkyTeam CEO explained in a May 12 statement;

“After last year’s inaugural challenge generated hundreds of new innovations, many of which are being adopted by our airlines, we’re excited to see what new ideas the second Sustainable Flight Challenge will bring our industry.”

A recap video from last year helps explain the reason for the challenge of caring for the planet in a time of climate change. The previous SkyTeam CEO Kristin Colvile, even said,

The aviation industry is not just about connecting the world; it’s also about caring for the world.

Colville went on to explain that a group of KLM employees wanted to take inspiration from the air races of the 1930s, like the 1934 “Greatest Air Race,” and now over 1,000 innovations have come from the Sustainable Flight Challenge. The below YouTube video shows SkyTeam's overview of the competition.

Rules and map of the 72 competing flights

The rules include but are not limited to the round-trip flights must occur between 15 and 28 May on an existing route, and the flights must have the sustainability solutions onboard to count. Also, short-haul flight submissions are only eligible when the destination cannot be reached by alternative transportation within 4.5 hours (measured from airport to airport).

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Many awards are available but fall under two general categories. These categories are ‘Flight Impact Awards’ (focused on sustainability impact) and ’Challenge Contribution Awards’ (focused on adoption, innovation, and collaboration).

Below is a map of the flights furnished by SkyTeam.

After the maps, let’s profile two of the participating airlines - one of which using turboprops out of Africa, the other Airbus jetliners out of Europe.

Jambojet dashes into the challenge

Jambojet from Africa is joining its parent airline & SkyTeam member Kenya Airways in the challenge. With De Haviland Dash 8-400s comprising its fleet, Jambojet already has great potential for a sustainable flight.

According to the airline’s website, Jambojet is cleaning up beaches and planting trees for starters. As Simple Flying profiled last year, Jambojet is also working on reducing fuel use from its six De Havilland DHC-8-400 aircraft.

Finally, Jambojet is going for awards such as lowest CO2 emissions in a medium-haul flight plus ground handling plus food & beverage, best waste management, best innovation cargo, best sustainable innovation in-flight, and among other applications, best partnership. It’s clear that Jambojet is working to innovate with an aging but strong, almost 40-year-old design, which in its current Dash 8-400 iteration, is quiet and innovative.

ITA Airways participates with four flights

ITA Airways will participate with four flights to test new sustainability ideas in actual long-haul and short-haul practice with a round-trip between Rome (FCO) and Miami (MIA) plus a round-tip between Rome and Barcelona (BCN). This year the flights will test according to an ITA Airways statement;

Zurich, Switzerland, January 2, 2023 ITA airways Bombardier CS-300 / Airbus A220 aircraft "Born to be Sustainable" departing
Photo: Robert Buchel via Shutterstock

Choice of aircraft and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), a biofuel produced from various waste materials that can reduce emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel

  • More sustainable catering, with attention to supply chain and seasonal produce
  • Waste recycling and use of compostable materials instead of single-use plastic
  • Dedicated passenger experience, also including a digital newsstand service
  • Use of carbon offsets by supporting environmentally friendly projects - natural or social - certified based on accredited and internationally recognized standards.

What are your thoughts? Feel free to share in the comments section.

Want to learn more about sustainability in aviation?

Sources: JamboJet, Sustainable Flight Challenge

  • Air France (SkyTeam Livery) Boeing 777-328(ER) F-GZNE
    SkyTeam
    Business Type:
    Airline Alliance
    Date Founded:
    2000-06-22
    CEO:
    Kristin Colvile
    Headquarters Location:
    Amsterdam, The Netherlands