Kenya Airways took part in The Sustainable Flight Challenge (TSFC) on 25th May 2023. “TSFC is a friendly competition among SkyTeam member airlines, and it encourages us to go above and beyond in efforts to find the most sustainable way to operate across existing networks. This year’s TSFC expanded its invitation to include “friends and family” airlines close to SkyTeam, aiming to drive industry-wide sustainability improvements. As a result, we worked with our subsidiary, Jambojet, to develop a variety of sustainable solutions that can be adopted and scaled,” Kenya Airways stated in its newsletter, Jetsetter.
It revealed that “as part of the initiative, while operating the Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner for the return flight between Nairobi and Amsterdam KQ become the fisrt African airline to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) throughout the flight,” it stated, noting that Kenya Airways worked with Eni Sustainable Mobility, which produces SAF, to obtain the SAF for the flight, while it also collaborated with Flamex Petroleum Limited on a local level.
The pilot flight will provide “valuable data and insights” that could inform more effective regulations and best practices regarding SAF.
Giving further details, the airline revealed: “Aside from the usage of SAF, the flight preparations were done to guarantee that it was as sustainable as possible. Additionally, a number of activities, including light travel for passengers on the aircraft, route planning, onboard meals and packaging, transportation of passengers and crew, and gifts, were all arranged with sustainability in mind as part of our two flights: Nairobi to Amsterdam on KQ116 and Amsterdam to Nairobi on KQ117.”
Looking to the future, Kenya Airways said that its efforts on SAF “will allow us to leverage the industry’s growing interest in sustainable aviation fuel, particularly since European airports will require aircraft to contain a percentage of SAF beginning in 2025.”
According to the airline, “this year’s Sustainable Flight Challenge winners is set to be announced at an awards ceremony in October 2023.”
Source: KQ Jetsetter
