Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam Airlines has piloted a range of green solutions on its Hanoi–London route as part of the SkyTeam Aviation Challenge 2026.
The airline operated a Showcase Flight 2026 using Boeing 787-9, testing measures covering flight operations, fuel efficiency, onboard services and passenger travel.
The initiatives included incentives for passengers to use electric Green SM vehicles to travel to the airport, fuel and emissions optimisation, adjustments to onboard products, and encouraging more responsible travel choices.
The flight’s fuel and emissions data will be independently assessed by the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), allowing the effectiveness of the measures to be quantified.
Vietnam Airlines Deputy General Director Dinh Van Tuan said green transition in aviation must go beyond long-term commitments and be translated into data, processes and changes across operations. The Hanoi–London showcase flight reflected the carrier’s efforts to integrate sustainability into practical operations while contributing to SkyTeam and global aviation initiatives towards net zero emissions by 2050.
According to the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), global flights produced about 882 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2023, accounting for 2.05% of total human-caused CO2 emissions.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has set a net-zero target for aviation by 2050, with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) expected to account for up to 65% of the emissions reductions required.
Vietnam Airlines said it is gradually incorporating sustainable solutions into regular operations. From September 18, the carrier will introduce the “Lotus Green Choice” option on its online check-in system, allowing passengers to opt out of onboard meals according to their needs.
Its 2025 sustainability report showed that the airline saved about 25,500 tonnes of fuel through flight and route optimisation, cutting CO2-equivalent emissions by 83,525 tonnes. New-generation aircraft accounted for 52% of its fleet, with an average age of 8.7 years.
The carrier used 2,200 tonnes of SAF in 2025, reducing lifecycle CO2 emissions by an estimated 5,600 tonnes. In May 2024, Vietnam Airlines operated flight VN660 from Singapore to Hanoi using SAF, becoming the first Vietnamese airline to use SAF on a commercial passenger flight.
In onboard services, the airline replaced 5.5 million plastic knives, spoons and forks with FSC-certified wooden alternatives on international routes in 2025, cutting difficult-to-degrade plastic waste by about 40 tonnes.
After winning two awards at TAC 2025 and joining IATA’s CO2 Connect emissions measurement system, Vietnam Airlines is preparing to host the Aviation Challenge Connect Event in Vietnam in January 2027./.
