NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12 – Kenya Airways (KQ) will pilot an environmentally friendly flight that seeks to cut carbon emissions by 2050.
The national carrier is set to participate in the Sustainable Flight Challenge (TSFC), an initiative of SkyTeam, where it will test the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
During the test, KQ will pilot a Boeing 787-800 (B787-8) Dreamliner for the return flight between Nairobi and Amsterdam on May 25th, 2023.
TSFC, which is in its second edition, will provide the local carrier with valuable data and insights that will inform policy decisions, regulatory frameworks, and industry best practices related to SAF.
“As an aviation industry, it is our responsibility to ensure that we are actively playing a critical role geared towards solutions and shared learning for sustainable solutions and practices in our industry,” KQ Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director Allan Kilavuka said.
“This year as our red tail goes green again, we aim to support the industry in achieving net zero by 2050. We are committed to adopting better practices and creating partnerships with people of similar vision,” Kilavuka added.
TSFC is a friendly competition between SkyTeam member airlines.
This year, TSFC has extended the invitation to ‘friends & family’ airlines close to SkyTeam as the alliance seeks to drive broader industry change.
KQ adds that it will work with its subsidiary, Jambojet, to generate a number of varied solutions that can be implemented and scaled to improve sustainability.
This comes as all aircraft departing from European airports will be required to incorporate a proportion of SAF beginning in 2025.
As a result, KQ seeks to take advantage of the program to be the first adopter of SAF across the region and Africa.
Some of the areas KQ will submit for consideration include a sustainably curated in-flight menu, a carbon offsetting program for customers, and e-mobility for guests, among others.
