National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) has been given the ‘Boldest Move’ award for its strongest sustainable development solution during The Sustainable Flight Challenge (TSFC), a sustainability initiative launched annually by global airline alliance SkyTeam.

VNA received the honor at an awards event conducted in Atlanta, the U.S. on Thursday by Netherlands-based SkyTeam for its second TSFC.

By giving the ‘Boldest Move’ award to VNA, SkyTeam has greatly valued the efforts and creativity of the carrier in implementing solutions to recall and reissue dry food products and disposable utensils after flights and donate them to Hanoi-based VietHarvest, a Vietnamese social enterprise operating as a food rescue organization.

Such donated products including unused dry foods that are still of good quality such as dry cereals, snacks and others will be recalled, inspected, classified and stored appropriately to maintain their good quality before they can be transferred to VietHarvest.

VNA has widely applied this initiative on its flight network over the past three months, proving the feasibility and long-term applicability of the solution. 

“This award reflects the firm’s outstanding efforts in adopting a sustainable development solution to contribute to minimizing aviation emissions,” Dang Anh Tuan, deputy general director of VNA, stated. 

By joining hands with VietHarvest, the airline affirms its commitment to reducing food loss and waste through providing people in need with food sources with ensured quality.

“We not only contribute to raise awareness and encourage innovation in combating loss and waste, but we also join other airlines around the world in promoting practical actions to jointly achieve the net zero emissions goal by 2050,” Tuan said.

In addition to the Best Move award, SkyTeam has also placed VNA in the top three airlines demonstrating their best ability to handle in-flight sanitary waste.

Earlier in May, VNA also took part in TSFC by implementing environmental protection measures on the direct flight from Hanoi to Germany’s Frankfurt, including giving passengers recycled bags from old life jackets, serving meals from sustainable foods, and urging passengers to bring personal belongings instead of using disposable items on flights such as paper cups, toothbrushes, blankets and warm clothes.

TSFC was first launched by SkyTeam in 2022 as an annual program to promote sustainable development initiatives among airlines with an aim to help reduce the aviation industry’s environmental impacts.

This year’s event, which lasted from May 15 to 28, attracted 22 participating airlines, which implemented their most sustainable solutions on 72 flights and competed for awards in 31 categories.

As the world’s second largest airline alliance, SkyTeam was founded in June 2000 and now has 19 official members, including VNA.

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