The Aviation Challenge

Since 2022, SkyTeam has been organising the Aviation Challenge (formerly Sustainable Flight Challenge). During this challenge, KLM and over 20 other airlines, are conducting a special flight. Before and during this flight, the airlines will test various ideas to reduce the flight’s impact: from CO₂ emissions to social impact. Afterwards, the participants will implement as many improvements as possible and learn from each other's experiences.

Solutions to lower impact

Air travel has negative impacts on the climate. The Aviation Challenge helps us and other airlines develop new ideas to reduce the impact of flying.

All airlines share their ideas and solutions to learn from each other. After the Challenge, we try to implement as many improvements as possible. The airline that adopts the most ideas from the Challenge wins an award.

New ideas

Each year, we try to incorporate as many successful ideas as possible from the previous Challenge. Of course, we also implement new initiatives. Here are some of those improvements:

  • Our Cargo department uses cardboard pallets, which weigh 50% less than conventional wooden ones. This can save up to 500 kg on a flight from Amsterdam to Singapore. Additionally, we load our cargo in a way that optimises the aircraft’s centre of gravity, resulting in less drag and lower fuel consumption.
  • We try out different meals on board to reduce the impact of our food chain.
  • We explore ways to involve our customers in increasing the use of SAF (alternative aviation fuel), which helps us reduce our overall environmental impact.

From idea to impact

In 2024, the focus of the Aviation Challenge is on adoption. SkyTeam encourages putting ideas into practice to increase the Challenge’s impact. Reducing the impact of a single flight is great, but it truly makes a difference when we apply innovations to all flights and processes.

Other initiatives for innovation

We not only improve with ideas from the Aviation Challenge. We also run various programs to increase our use ofSAF (alternative aviation fuel). And we invest in fleet renewal, recycling, noise reduction, and more.

Learn more about our efforts

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  • The challenge focuses on all forms of impact reduction, from environmental impact to improving social conditions.
  • There are 3 distance categories: short-haul (under 1.500 km), medium-haul (1.500-3.000 km) and long-haul (5.000-10.000 km). Airlines may participate on all distances by performing a round-trip, including the so-called turnaround at the destination.
  • Airlines choose one return flight per category on an existing route.
  • The challenge starts when the plane is brought to the gate and is prepared for flight. The challenge ends for KLM at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The challenge isn’t just about the flight itself, but also about improvements before departure, including how we maintain our aircraft.
  • Measurements will be compared to the other participating airlines.
  • ‘Greatest CO2 reduction’ awards will be measured against each airline’s own baseline of reference flights with the same aircraft type over the same distance.
  • Participants in the challenge will be judged in all categories.
  • Participating airlines commit to sharing all innovative solutions, data and experiences.

In the first year of the Challenge, 16 airlines participated; that number grew to 22 participants in 2023. In 2024, SkyTeam opened the Aviation Challenge to other airlines, allowing it to grow further. So, in addition to SkyTeam members, partners, and daughter companies, airlines not affiliated with SkyTeam are now also participating.

There are several award categories: Flight Impact Awards and Challenge Contribution Awards. With a focus on adoption in 2024, this year’s awards are: Advancing Adoption, Boosting Collaboration, and Empowering Sustainability. A jury will select 1 winner from 5 finalists.

Flight Impact Awards

  • Greatest CO2 reduction
  • Lowest CO2 emissions
  • Lowest CO2 emissions ground ops
  • Best inflight waste management (recycling)

Challenge Contribution Awards

  • Best Innovation
  • Best Adoption
  • Best Collaboration

Advancing Adoption

  • Best scaled solution Cargo
  • Best scaled solution GroundOps
  • Best scaled solution Inflight Products
  • Best scaled solution Catering
  • Best scaled FlightOps
  • Best scaled solution MRO
  • Maximized adoption of TAC solutions (TAC stands for The Aviation Challenge)
  • Greatest progress on adoption of TAC solutions

Boosting Collaboration

  • Best Customer Collaboration
  • Best Partnership
  • Best Team Collaboration
  • Best Knowledge-Sharing Contribution

Empowering Sustainability

  • Supply Chain Excellence
  • Best Approach to Scaling SAF
  • Best Climate Literacy
  • Best Approach to Roles & Responsibilities
  • Data & Insights Pioneer
  • Future Proofing Strategies

Employee Sustainability Challenge

Our people actively contribute to the flights participating in the Aviation Challenge. KLM colleagues shared their ideas for the Challenge during the Employee Sustainability Challenge. Around 130 ideas were shared.

Share knowledge

After the Challenge, all participating airlines can share their knowledge and experiences during an event and on an online platform. Participants can partake in workshops about recycling, optimum flight routes, and more. On this day, the awards will be presented.

What is SkyTeam?

KLM is part of SkyTeam, a global network of 20 airlines working together to provide millions of passengers with the best travel experience. We challenge ourselves, each other, and the aviation industry to keep innovating. Our aim is to reduce the environmental impact of aviation, with innovation playing a key role in this effort.

Read more about SkyTeam