Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced its participation in the Global Sustainable Flight Challenge 2024. The challenge, an initiative by SkyTeam Alliance, is in its third year and seeks to award airlines which are operating routes in the most sustainable way.
The challenge set to begin on Wednesday, 4th September 2024, with the inaugural sustainable flight on the Nairobi to New York City route. The chosen routes are as follows:
- NBO – JFK: Nairobi, Kenya (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) to New York City, USA (John F. Kennedy International Airport)
- NBO – AMS: Nairobi, Kenya (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) to Amsterdam, Netherlands (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol)
- NBO – CDG: Nairobi, Kenya (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) to Paris, France (Charles de Gaulle Airport)
- NBO – LHR: Nairobi, Kenya (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) to London, United Kingdom (London Heathrow Airport)
KQ’s theme for this year is to “Integrate Sustainability” across all aspects of its business, advancing its sustainability journey through the Aviation Challenge. This initiative encourages Kenya Airways stakeholders to actively contribute to sustainability goals by implementing innovative ideas and scaling successful initiatives across operations.
Kenya Airways sustainable flight challenge will include ground operations initiatives, a sustainably curated in-flight menu, e-mobility for guests, a travel light policy, waste management initiatives, and other related efforts.
“Kenya Airways recognizes that sustainability is a collective effort. In collaboration with customers, suppliers, and partners, KQ is fostering an ecosystem where sustainable practices are shared, scaled, and refined across the aviation industry,” stated Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways Group Managing Director and CEO.
Kilavuka said the airline had adopted a systems-thinking approach to seamlessly integrate sustainability into all facets of its operations. This holistic approach encompasses data analysis, decision-making, reporting, and operations, ensuring that sustainability is a core part of KQ’s business strategy. By challenging the status quo, KQ is positioning itself as a leader in the aviation industry, with a forward-thinking commitment to a sustainable future.
Earlier this year, Kenya Airways was selected as one of the African airlines to lead the International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Registry. This recognition follows KQ’s pioneering use of SAF on a long-haul flight from Africa to Europe in October 2023, which earned the airline the Most Impactful Breakthrough award. By playing a crucial role in the development of the SAF registry, KQ is building trust and confidence in SAF as a viable solution to reduce aviation’s environmental impact.
SAF is anticipated to account for up to 65% of the carbon mitigation required to achieve net zero carbon emissions in air transportation by 2050. The inaugural Sustainable Flight Challenge, launched in May 2022, brought together 16 airlines, and KQ’s participation this year underscores its commitment to leading sustainable aviation practices in Africa. In 2022, Kenya Airways (KQ) In-Flight catering facility in collaboration with NAS Servair (NAS) won in the Best Partnership category and in 2023, KQ piloted the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Africa, thus winning the Most Breakthrough SAF category award.