The flight to Nairobi with which KLM participated in The Aviation Challenge achieved the lowest CO₂ emissions ever, at 35g CO₂/RTK. This was achieved by flying entirely on SAF (through the mass balance method) and making a number of operational adjustments. This earned KLM a Special Recognition award. KLM also received a Special Recognition award for sharing knowledge with Kenya Airways.

In addition, KLM received an award for the Best Showcase Flight with the video Intern On A Mission, for the inspiring image KLM gave of the flight to Rome with an Airbus 321N.

Finally, KLM Cityhopper (KLC) won the prestigious Pioneer of the Year award for its 100% SAF ticket project, which ran in 2025 on the Amsterdam – London City Airport and Amsterdam – Hamburg routes. KLC temporarily increased the SAF percentage to 100 percent on the two test routes. The additional SAF contribution went entirely towards the purchase of SAF. In this way, KLC investigated passengers' willingness to pay extra for SAF if it is included in the ticket price as standard.

About The Aviation Challenge

More than eighty flights were carried out between September 26 and October 26 as part of The Aviation Challenge. During these flights, airlines tested operational improvements and innovative solutions that contribute to reducing CO2 emissions from aviation. Examples include route optimization, innovative maintenance measures, weight savings, and the use of SAF.

On average, these flights achieved 13.5 percent lower CO2 emissions than the regular operations of the participating airlines and were 12 percent below the sector average. 

KLM recognizes its impact on the environment and climate and understands that there are limits to what our planet can withstand. Action is needed to continue operating within these limits. By testing various innovations during flight operations and on board, KLM is assessing their benefits with the aim of scaling them up and implementing them as standard.

Sixteen members
The KLM Corporate SAF Programme was launched in 2012 and now includes sixteen partners, including ABN AMRO, Royal Schiphol Group and Arcadis. These businesses and institutions help KLM finance the purchase of SAF, thereby reducing the CO₂ footprint of their business travel by air. SAF can reduce CO₂ emissions by 85% compared to fossil kerosene, but because it is in short supply and expensive to produce, it is three times more expensive. The SAF purchased by KLM is mixed with fossil fuel and pumped into the refuelling systems at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and in Los Angeles. The SAF is produced and supplied locally at both locations. The total amount of SAF used by KLM in 2019 amounted to less than 1% of all fuel used by KLM.

“That’s less than we would like, of course. We will need to use a lot more of this fuel to substantially reduce CO₂ emissions,” explains Harm Kreulen, director of KLM Benelux. “That is why we will continue to bring the KLM Corporate SAF Programme to the attention of our customers, specifically in this time of crisis. This is the ideal moment for KLM to pursue its ambition to become even more sustainable. The drastic reduction of our CO₂ footprint, with the aid of fleet modernisation, improved operational efficiency and SAF, plays an essential part in this ambition.”

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme
Since the start of the year, our cargo customers can also support the development and production of SAF thanks to the new Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme. The first customers to join this programme was Kühne+Nagel, who have agreed to invest in SAF for all cargo kilometres traversed by their shipments on the Los Angeles-Amsterdam route.

“Fly Responsibly”
The KLM Corporate SAF Programme is perfectly in step with the “Fly Responsibly” initiative that KLM launched in 2019, with a view to leading the way towards a more sustainable future for air transport. KLM is striving to achieve this, among other things, by making all its products and processes more sustainable today and in the future. However, real progress can only be achieved if the entire industry gets involved. A key aspect of KLM’s “Fly Responsibly” initiative is to invite passengers to make use of its CO2ZERO CO₂ compensation programme, but also to invite businesses to join the KLM Corporate SAF Programme and cargo customers to join the Air France KLM Martinair Cargo SAF Programme for their airfreight shipments.

The cooperation between KLM and Lavazza fits perfectly with KLM’s Fly Responsibly initiative as KLM takes the lead in achieving a more sustainable future for civil aviation. The airline is doing this by making its products and processes even more sustainable, now and in the future. But real progress will only be possible if the entire industry works together. As part of Fly Responsibly, KLM is inviting passengers to take part in its CO2ZERO compensation programme, and asking companies to make their business trips more sustainable by participating in the Corporate BioFuel Programme.

On the photo: Mario Cerutti, Chief Institutionals Relations & Sustainability Officer Lavazza (l) and Barry ter Voert, SVP Europe Air France-KLM

Sustainability objectives Lavazza

Lavazza is the first Italian company to support KLM’s Corporate BioFuel Programme. The multinational has decided to marry a concrete collaboration with the major organizations that aim to make a system towards sustainability objectives, by signing the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and joining the United Nations Global Compact.

About KLM and sustainable aviation fuel

KLM has been using SAF to an extent since 2011 and is currently the only European airline using sustainable fuel on intercontinental flights.

In May of last year, KLM committed to developing and purchasing 75,000 tonnes of sustainable kerosene per year for a period of ten years. This makes it the world’s first airline to invest in SAF on a large scale. World market leader in SAF, SkyNRG, wants to build Europe’s first sustainable kerosene plant for this purpose in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.

KLM only sources sustainable aviation fuels based on waste and residue feedstocks that significantly reduce the CO2 footprint and do not have a negative impact on food production or the environment.

Air France-KLM number 1 in Dow Jones Sustainability Index

In September 2019 it was announced that Air France-KLM was ranked at the top of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in the Airlines category. KLM is proud of this first position. It is a clear sign that KLM is investing successfully in making KLM and the airline industry more sustainable – socially, environmentally, and economically.

The KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme (KCBP) makes it possible for companies to power a share of their flights using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The participants pay a surcharge that covers the difference in price between SAF and traditional jet fuel. In turn, the surcharges are used to purchase SAF.

But why is the programme so important?

Due to insufficient production capacity and concomitant availability of sustainable feedstock, SAF is in short supply. Using SAF could reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 85%. KLM is convinced that SAF is important in the short and medium term in order to achieve the airline industry’s envisaged reduction in CO2 emissions. For this reason, KLM, SkyNRG and SHV Energy announced in May this year that they would be joining forces to build the first European SAF production plant in Delfzijl in the Netherlands. By 2022, the plant will be producing 100,000 tonnes of SAF and, as a by-product, 15,000 tonnes of bioLPG a year.

About “Fly Responsibly”

“Fly Responsibly” embodies KLM’s commitment to creating a sustainable future for air transport. It incorporates all of KLM’s current and future efforts to improve the sustainability of its activities. But true progress can only be achieved if the entire sector cooperates. With “Fly Responsibly”, KLM invites consumers to opt for CO2 compensation services, while companies are invited to compensate for business travel via the KLM Corporate BioFuel Programme.

Participants

In 2019, KCBP unites the following companies and institutions: ABN AMRO, Accenture, Arcadis BV, Arcadis NV, Amsterdam Municipality, Loyens & Loeff, Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL), Microsoft, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), PGGM, Schiphol Group, SHV Energy and TU Delft.

About SHV Energy

SHV Energy is the world’s largest LPG distributor, and provides LNG and bioLPG to people without access to the grid. These cleaner energy sources help people to switch away from oil and solid fuels, improving their quality of life and the quality of their environment. SHV Energy operates in more than 25 countries under brands such as Primagaz, Calor Gas, Liquigas and Ipragaz and is committed to working sustainably with communities, stakeholders and policymakers.

About TU Delft

In addition to conducting research into new sustainable fuels, TU Delft is also active in relation to other aspects of sustainable aviation including the development of ultra-efficient aircraft designs like the Flying V, electric and electric/hybrid aircraft, and sustainable aircraft operations at airports and in relation to air traffic control, for example.

In addition, Microsoft and KLM intend to explore areas of cooperation that would further improve sustainability and reduce emissions associated with air travel. Our joint aim is to provide a blueprint that will engage other corporations to stimulate the demand for sustainable air travel solutions, and achieve ambitions to address their carbon footprint within their own supply chain.

Fly Responsibly

KLM and Microsoft’s partnership fits in perfectly with KLM’s Fly Responsibly initiative. Fly Responsibly shows KLM’s commitment to creating a more sustainable future for the airline industry. It includes everything KLM is doing now and in the future to improve the sustainability of its operations. However, only when the entire sector works together can we make real progress. As part of the Fly Responsibly campaign, KLM invites its customers to use its carbon compensation program and asks companies to compensate for their business travel by taking part in the KLM Corporate BioFuel Program.

CO₂ reduction of 85%

The feedstocks used for production will be waste and residue streams, such as used cooking oil, coming predominantly from regional industries. The facility will run on sustainable hydrogen, which is produced using water and wind energy. Thanks to these choices, this sustainable aviation fuel delivers a CO₂ reduction of at least 85%, compared to fossil fuel. The use of SAF will also contribute to a significant decrease in ultra-fine particles and sulphur emissions. The construction of this facility is very much in line with KLM’s sustainability objectives and is an important step towards implementing the industry action plan “Smart & Sustainable”, which was drafted by twenty leading transport organisations and knowledge centres. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will also be investing in the development of this facility.

Fuel meets the highest sustainability standards

SkyNRG’s independent Sustainability Board advises on whether the fuel meets the highest sustainability standards, thereby ensuring that the fuel (produced from waste streams) will not have a negative impact on the food supply and environment. There will be absolutely no use of food crops, such as soya oil and palm oil (or by-products such as PFAD and POME), for production. The board includes representatives from WWF International, the European Climate Foundation, Solidaridad Network and the University of Groningen. Furthermore, the sustainability of the chain and related products are ensured through certification by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the highest possible certification standard for sustainable fuels.

Partners

In addition to KLM and SHV Energy, SkyNRG has joined hands with various other partners in the Netherlands and beyond, on the DSL-1 project: EIT Climate-KIC, Royal Schiphol Group, GROEIfonds, NV NOM, Groningen Seaports, Nouryon, Gasunie, Arcadis, TechnipFMC, Haldor Topsoe, Desmet Ballestra, Susteen Technologies, and MBP Solutions. These partners will be involved in various phases of the project.