Kenya Airways, Jambojet Win at SkyTeam’s The Aviation Challenge 2024
3rd edition of TAC included 24 participants, conducting 33 flights to stimulate and accelerate innovation towards more sustainable air travel.
SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, announced the winners of The Aviation Challenge (TAC) 2024 during an awards ceremony hosted by Saudia in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in mid-January 2025.
The third and largest edition of TAC ran from January 23 to October 31, 2024, with 24 participating airlines, including two newcomers from outside the SkyTeam alliance. These airlines showcased innovative solutions to promote sustainability and competed in 18 award categories.
TAC 2024 Highlights
The participating airlines operated a combined 33 showcase flights to test and demonstrate innovative solutions aimed at sustainability through operational enhancements such as route optimisation, maintenance advancements, weight reduction initiatives, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) use.
African Airline Winners at TAC 2024
- Best Scaled Catering Solution: Kenya Airways’ use of traditional African baskets reduced waste while connecting passengers to local culture.
- Best Approach to Scaling SAF: Kenya Airways launched an initiative to transition Kenya from a supplier of grain for SAF to a producer of SAF, driving local solutions.
- Best Customer Collaboration: Jambojet (KQ subsidiary) created meaningful customer connections through tailored campaigns, surveys, and airport activities.
“By embracing sustainable aviation fuel, reducing single-use plastics, and fostering collaboration across teams, we are driving meaningful change for the aviation industry and our planet.”
Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways Group CEO
Impact of TAC 2024 Showcase Flights
According to SkyTeam, the TAC 2024 showcase flights resulted in:
- A 10% average improvement in CO₂ intensity (CO₂/RTK) compared to standard operations.
- A 20%+ reduction in CO₂ intensity compared to the industry average.
- An average decrease of 2% in total CO₂ emissions per flight, even with a 9% increase in revenue tonne-kilometers (RTK).
Of the 327 innovative solutions tested and submitted for the awards, 141 have been successfully implemented by participating airlines as part of their ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiency.
