The Sustainable Flight Challenge 2023 takes off from 15 – 31 May

Participants prepare to help shape a cleaner, greener future for our industry

As one of many sustainable initiatives taking place across SkyTeam, The Sustainable Flight Challenge (TSFC) is an important step to develop and share a multitude of sustainability solutions and insights which can be adopted across the wider industry.

The Challenge was developed to bring discussions around aviation and sustainability to the forefront and ensure sustainability is top-of-mind for SkyTeam members, subsidiaries and affiliates, industry stakeholders and the public.

This year’s participating airlines include Aerolíneas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Aeromexico Connect, Air Europa, Air France, China Airlines, China Eastern, Delta Air Lines, Endeavor Air, Garuda Indonesia, ITA Airways, Jambojet, Kenya Airways, KLM, KLM Cityhopper, Korean Air, MEA, Saudia, Shanghai Airlines, TAROM, Vietnam Airlines, Xiamen Air.

They will be looking to execute the most sustainable flights possible – both in the air, and on the ground.

SkyTeam VP Mauro Oretti said: “The aviation industry has the responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint and continue improving its environmental impact, and TSFC is an important initiative that will help us to stimulate and accelerate innovation and change.

“The goal of The Challenge is, and will continue to be, about making real impact through implementation. TSFC 2023 has been designed specifically to keep dialogue open and promote the actions required to make that a reality. With sustainability a key pillar of SkyTeam’s strategy, we are excited to extend this year’s challenge to SkyTeam members’ friends & family airlines.”

To push progress forward and stimulate solutions for sustainability issues which prove consistently difficult to overcome, TSFC 2023 is sharpening the focus on adoption and collaboration – and already looking ahead to the future.

Project Lead Robin Spierings added: “Talks are already taking place about how we can further expand the scope beyond the bounds of SkyTeam and their subsidiary and affiliate airlines to other important aviation industry businesses – from catering suppliers to airport operators, from aircraft manufacturers to other airlines and players contributing to our far-reaching industry.”

Each participating airline has now submitted their routes and done preliminary measurements for comparison, and flights are scheduled for the second half of May.

Airlines will be judged on the sustainable impact they achieve, successful delivery of innovative solutions, adoption of sustainable solutions, and collaboration.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Atlanta in October, hosted by Delta Air Lines. And insights, solutions, and supporting documentation from TSFC will be shared, allowing stakeholders to review, adapt, apply and develop further.

Click here for a downloadable route map showing which flights will be flown by participating airlines.