Intercontinental KLM Flight for The Aviation Challenge to Singapore

A KLM flight departed from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Singapore as part of The Aviation Challenge. This challenge is initiated by SkyTeam and dares airlines to conduct their operations as efficiently and with as little environmental impact as possible. The results of these tests are shared among the participating airlines, with the aim of sharing knowledge and helping the airlines carry out their activities with a lower environmental impact.

KLM acknowledges its impact on the environment and climate and sees that there are limits to what our planet can handle. Action is needed to operate within these limits. By testing various innovations during flight operations and on board, KLM evaluates their outcomes with the goal of scaling them up and implementing them as standard practices.

Before the flight
Both during preparation and during the flight, KLM tested various initiatives. In terms of cargo transport, KLM hopes to eventually replace all cargo pallets with lightweight cardboard alternatives. This change saves 150kg of material per flight needed for cargo transport. KLM hopes to save nearly 0.05% CO2 (6 kilotons) annually through this measure (Scope 1 and 3). Additionally, as many electric ground processes as possible are used, and the aircraft is towed to the runway, saving 400 kg of fuel. This tests how it works to tow an aircraft further towards the runway in an operational environment so that the engines can start later.

Optimization of loading weight can also help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. By distributing the weight on board as optimally as possible, a small lift under the nose is created, resulting in less air resistance and thus a more efficient flight.

Passengers in World Business Class are asked to pre-order their meals. This helps KLM to take exactly the amount of food needed for the flight on board, reducing food waste. Passengers are also encouraged to pack lightly.

KLM has also started advising passengers not to print their boarding passes. This has led to an 84% reduction in printed boarding passes since May 2024.

Onboard initiatives
During the flight, lighter tableware is used in World Business Class, a result of the Challenge in 2022. This saves 5 kg per flight, resulting in an annual saving of 150 tons of CO2 emissions for the entire KLM fleet. Additionally, World Business Class passengers receive a lighter 3D-printed KLM house instead of the regular porcelain KLM houses.

Passengers can also purchase alternative fuel (SAF) onboard the flight, which is normally only available beforehand. The SAF purchased additionally is not on the flight to Singapore but will be used by KLM later. The cabin crew wears a new uniform made from more sustainable fabric from recycled PET and with more stretch, providing more comfort while working on board. The cabin crew also wears the previously implemented KLM sneakers from Filling Pieces.

The Aviation Challenge
The Aviation Challenge is inspired by the historic World’s Greatest Air Race, which ran from London to Melbourne in 1934. The race aimed to make the world more accessible and connect people. Today, the challenges for aviation are no longer in bridging distances but in making operations more sustainable. SkyTeam challenges the participating airlines to conduct regular, commercial flights with as little environmental impact as possible.