During the second edition of the Sustainable Flight Challenge, organised by SkyTeam, KLM operated a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles on 17 May, while Air France will embark on a journey from Paris to Atlanta on 23 May operating an Airbus A350-900. These flights symbolise our strong commitment to achieving the highest possible level of sustainability in today’s industry.

At Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, we’re constantly exploring new ways to make our operations more sustainable and reduce our environmental impact. We acknowledge that achieving meaningful change in the airfreight industry requires collective efforts. We take pride in the progress we have made together with our partners towards achieving greater sustainability.

For the second edition of the Sustainable Flight Challenge, we’re supporting both Air France and KLM by implementing the following initiatives:

1% for the Planet

Inspired by the Patagonia initiative: 1% for the Planet. We will be allocating 1% of Cargo turnover from all LAX flights during the week of the Sustainable Flight Challenge to the Gold Standard Foundation.

Optimise cargo load (high load and ideal weight & balance) Weight & balance are crucial for safe flight operations and the position of the centre of gravity has a direct impact on fuel consumption. Implementing effective cargo load planning can result in significant fuel savings. The benefits here are twofold: reduced weight by having to carry less fuel and reduced emissions!

HVO on EU trucking network

Joining forces with several partner trucking companies, we reviewed our emissions and invested in Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel for our European trucking network in the two days leading up to the challenge, 15 and 16 May in a bid to reduce our carbon footprint.

Sustainable cargo operations

Paperless handling (E-AWB), electric transport in the warehouse and electric tractors to transport cargo to the aircraft.

Reduce weight (operation support materials)

During our cargo operations we will use lightweight nets, cardboard board cases, cardboard beams, lightweight unit load devices (ULD), and re-usable covers for cargo pallets.

Eco paperboard pallets (pilot)

We will be conducting a pilot with cardboard pallets instead of wooden ones for freight transport. This will generate weight savings of 5 to 8 kilograms per pallet. The pallets are made from recycled paper (94%) and are easy to recycle.

Adriaan den Heijer, EVP Air France-KLM Cargo and Managing Director Martinair: “It’s fantastic and truly inspiring to witness how our passionate colleagues and partners have gone the extra mile in a short period of time to raise awareness and drive sustainability initiatives forward. The airfreight industry is a complex ecosystem involving many stakeholders. By uniting, we can catalyse, accelerate and transform the industry. Through the Sustainable Flight Challenge, we channel all of this positive energy towards a single shared goal: creating a more sustainable airfreight industry.”

The challenge extends beyond its participants; it calls for cooperative efforts, responsibility, innovative thinking, and forging partnerships to shape the future of our industry.

By sharing and implementing existing innovations on a broad scale, we can make a significant impact and push the boundaries to explore new horizons. Through establishing a level playing field among industry partners, we have the opportunity to raise the bar year after year. Only together can we achieve a more sustainable airfreight industry.