KLM and KLM Cityhopper are testing a series of operational measures on showcase flights in the Aviation Challenge, including a KLM demonstration flight from Amsterdam to Delhi and a KLM Cityhopper Embraer E195-E2 service from Amsterdam to Dublin. The trials focus on fuel-saving ground handling, improved descent profiles and onboard waste reduction, with results to be shared across participating airlines.
On the Dublin flight, one of the main tests is TaxiBot, which can tow the aircraft from the gate towards the runway with the main engines switched off. KLM Cityhopper is also trialling OptiDescent with Sita to optimise descent performance, alongside new waste-sorting solutions for use on board.
The initiative forms part of a wider effort to improve operational efficiency and lower emissions without relying on a single measure. KLM plans to increase communication in October around sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, as the challenge flights are used to generate practical learnings for other carriers involved in the programme.