China Airlines, the Taiwan-based carrier, participated in “The Sustainable Flight Challenge” (TSFC) issued by SkyTeam today (5/4), selecting flight CI-753 from Taipei to Singapore as the sustainability demonstration flight. Following the core philosophy of “ECO Service,” up to 100 environmental and carbon reduction initiatives, such as fuel-efficiency route planning, apron operations, online check-in, and in-flight catering and amenities, were pioneered. By working with travelers to build a sustainable flying environment, China Airlines hoped to set a new milestone for the domestic airline industry. 

SkyTeam is encouraging member airlines to embrace sustainable development. The first-ever “The Sustainable Flight Challenge” is a friendly competition that invites member airlines to share their knowledge. Participating airlines are challenged to operate their services in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner on any existing medium or long-haul route. For the CI-753 Taipei-Singapore sustainability demonstration flight, China Airlines adopted the team name “Plum Blossom.” The medium-haul route has a flight time of 4 hours and 35 minutes. An effort was also made to maximize the sustainability of the flight. Relative initiatives will be progressively rolled out where practical in the future. 

Encouraging Traveler Support for TSFC with 800-Mile Rebate 

The route for China Airlines’ sustainability demonstration flight optimized the altitude to improve fuel efficiency. Travelers were also encouraged to take public transport to the airport and take up TSFC. The eight options included participating in ECO Travel, pre-ordering in-flight meals, self-service check-in, filling out the electronic health declaration form and TSFC e-survey, pre-ordering duty-free goods, bringing eco-friendly bags for carrying duty-free goods, and carrying your own eco-friendly cup/cutlery. Each challenge completed is worth an extra 100 miles. The rebate of up to 800 miles, 40% higher than standard mileage rewards, encourages travelers to be environmentally friendly and sustainable throughout their journey. 

Promoting Environmental Awareness Among Passengers through Dynasty Sky Reading, Airport e-Services, and Sustainable Cabin Amenities 

Travelers can now download more than 100 electronic publications through the new “Dynasty Sky Reading” service, as well as take advantage of airport e-services, such as online self-service check-in and electronic boarding passes, to cut back on paper consumption. China Airlines is also upholding its philosophy of reducing food waste by adjusting the catering in the VIP Lounge to the number of people on the flight. The in-flight entertainment system now plays eco-friendly boarding videos and educational programs to promote the ideal of “Beauty of Taiwan, Sustainable China Airlines.” Cabin amenities such as pillows, blankets, tablecloths, and duty-free shopping bags are now all made from eco-friendly recycled materials, as well as the circular economy product ” S’Life Travel Kit”produced from discarded life jackets. The kit contain products for physical and mental well-being made from local natural plantation, reminding travelers of the sustainability ideals of environmental friendliness and reuse. The Personal Protection Kit 2.0 expend our green initiatives to ground services by the “Green Carbon Reducing Transport Platform” which not only providing the travelers 15% discount on the Airport MRT, green tourism information and deals but also linking back to China Airlines eMall to build up a complete green consumption cycle. 

Original Vegetarian In-Flight Cuisine, Carbon Reduction and Local Ingredients, and In-Flight Recycling Program 

China Airlines considers climate change and healthy food culture to be of great importance. The food aboard the Sustainability Flight is sourced mostly from local, seasonal Taiwanese ingredients in order to reduce carbon emissions of food’s life cycle. Precision food preparation and supply are also enforced to avoid waste. New original “Vegetarian Meals” include dishes like spinach and egg roll, steamed vegetables, and bamboo shoot, yam roll with black rice. These promote low-carbon foodprint cuisine and the vegetarian fine cuisine culture of Taiwan. Travelers can also opt for “Low-carbon meals” that feature Chicken or Seafood with fresh fruits and vegetables. In-flight beverages include Carbon Footprint verified mineral water, sparkling water, and cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juice from Taiwan. Travelers on the sustainability flight are encouraged to bring their own eco-cups to help meet the goal of plastic reduction. Cutlery in the Economy Class has been changed to a type of MFG patented plastic-free paper. A waste sorting and recycling plan has been drawn up for the cabin as well, and management goals were set for reducing use of single-use plastic(SUP) and reducing the per capita food waste of in-flight service. Travelers were also invited to join China Airlines in fulfilling UN SDG 12, protecting our beautiful planet through sustainable consumption and production. 

Four Fuel-Saving Strategies, Apron e-Operations, Lightweight Cargo Containers, Reduced Waste and Carbon Emissions 

China Airlines is working to reduce its carbon emissions and to reach the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. In addition to the four main fuel-saving strategies of Renew Fleet, Reduce Weight of Aircraft, Enhance Operational Improvements, and Advance Maintenance & Operation, we are continuing to optimize our processes through innovative thinking. These include going completely digital for plane-side loading/unloading, saving on printing, and reducing the chance of operational anomalies. Lightweight containers were also introduced based on the cargo type and transportation requirements booked. This helped save weight and fuel consumption. In 2021, electronic tow trucks replaced fuel-powered vehicles for airside operations. The reduction in waste emissions and carbon emissions cultivates a healthy and pollution-free environment. 

China Airlines practices sustainable supply chain management and has made being environmentally friendly its mission. As the first airline in Taiwan to fully adopt ISO 14001, 50001, and 14064 for environmental energy, corporate environment, energy, and software management systems, the fuel-efficiency of our fleet is among the best in the world. We were the first Taiwanese airline to begin trials with Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) and were also recognized by the Dow Jones Standard Index (DJSI) performance evaluation, becoming the NO.2 airline in the industry for six straight years. Other awards included winning the “Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards” for eight straight years and the “Global Corporate Sustainability Award” for three consecutive years. China Airlines continues to focus on corporate sustainability in order to fulfill its vision of “becoming the preferred airline of Taiwan.”(2022/05/04)