China Airlines leads the sustainable development of national airlines. This year, for the fifth time, it has responded to SkyTeam's SkyTeam 'The Aviation Challenge' (TAC). For the first time, it used the September 13 CI073 Taipei-Amsterdam long-haul flight as a demonstration flight, using 40% Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), expanding the high proportion of SAF applications to long-haul flights and setting a new record. At the same time, it combines low-carbon plant-based consumption with air-ground carbon reduction measures, demonstrating China Airlines' ongoing commitment to advancing aviation sustainability.
Partnering for the second time with CTBC Bank to expand SAF applications, setting a new record high
China Airlines practices aviation carbon reduction through innovation. This year's aviation flight challenge is themed 'Collective Momentum,' emphasizing the union of corporate partners and supply chain forces to jointly promote sustainable development and net-zero transformation. China Airlines is expanding its demonstration flights to long-haul routes for the first time and has once again formed a strong partnership with CTBC Bank, the issuer of the co-branded card. After jointly adding 20% SAF on regional routes in 2024, the two parties continue to promote low-carbon flights this year. This demonstration flight uses a Book & Claim method to increase SAF usage to 40%, totaling 36.3 metric tons, marking a new milestone. Since 2022, China Airlines has completed 8 demonstration flights, cumulatively reducing carbon emissions by at least 600 metric tons, demonstrating its commitment and achievements in cross-partner collaboration to promote low-carbon transportation.
China Airlines has long promoted sustainable aviation fuel usage. In recent years, it has successively implemented new aircraft flight addition operations, operated both passenger and all-cargo flights, and launched corporate client cooperation programs, all of which are industry leaders in Taiwan. China Airlines General Manager Chen Hanming stated that sustainable aviation fuel is a key factor in the aviation industry's net-zero transition. China Airlines is committed to expanding the scope of SAF applications, aiming to implement SAF in key regions including Europe, the Americas, and Asia starting in 2025; By integrating low-carbon concepts into flight operations and passenger services, we work hand in hand with corporate partners, supply chains, and travelers to take carbon reduction actions, making every flight a driving force for industrial transformation and accelerating the journey toward the 2050 net-zero carbon emission goal.
Chen Defeng, Director of the Payment Finance Business at CTBC Bank, stated that CTBC Bank is committed to promoting sustainable finance and supporting the low-carbon transformation of the aviation industry. This year, it exclusively sponsored China Airlines' SAF demonstration flights, once again taking concrete action to support the industry's carbon reduction. Through this collaboration, they hope to unite cross-industry sustainability capabilities, guiding sustainable funds toward green industries with tangible carbon reduction benefits, becoming Taiwan's strongest support for achieving net zero.
New lightweight tableware launches: Little Tree Food and FRAMA create a low-carbon experience
Starting in September, China Airlines was the first to introduce new luxury business class tableware on its Frankfurt, Prague, and Australia-New Zealand routes, and this time, it specially invited passengers to experience the demonstration flight between Taipei and Amsterdam. The new tableware is designed around the theme 'Into the forest, see China Airlines,' using lightweight porcelain and integrated tableware functions. The overall tableware set is reduced by about 27%, improving fuel efficiency by lowering onboard load; They have also introduced carbonized bamboo chopsticks, 100% rPET meal lids, and FSC-certified paper, balancing design quality and passenger experience while further reducing resource consumption and environmental impact. Plans will gradually expand this to all routes.
China Airlines' demonstration flight offers Michelin Green Star vegetarian 'Little Tree Food' delicious meals across all cabin classes, encouraging travelers to choose low-carbon diets; The newly launched Marc Jacobs collaborative travel bag has also partnered with Copenhagen design brand FRAMA to create skincare sets and toilet products that incorporate sustainability concepts. The FRAMA toilet product uses an eco-friendly rPET bottle. China Airlines also continues to promote the 'Light Travel Membership,' all-class eMenu electronic menus, and the 'Cloud Bookstore' digital reading service, fully implementing carbon reduction from in-flight dining and in-flight goods to passenger experiences; Among them, the 'Cloud Bookstore' reduces the loading of physical newspapers and has cumulatively reduced weight by over 4,300 metric tons since launch.
China Airlines has been deeply committed to ESG, and its related achievements continue to receive professional recognition both domestically and internationally. It has been selected eight times as a constituent stock of the 'Taiwan Sustainability Index,' twice ranked in the Top 1% of S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, and has received the Civil Aeronautics Administration's 'Sustainability Development Award,' as well as the Taiwan Sustainability Action Awards' Gold Award for Environmental and Bronze for Social Affairs. It has performed exceptionally well in SkyTeam flight challenges, winning the Organizational Transformation Awards - Transformational Impact through SAF, Future Proofing Strategies, and Best Inflight Supply Chain), Best Adopted Solution, Best Sustainable Innovation Cargo, and Best Employee Engagement showcased China Airlines' remarkable achievements in continuously implementing innovative carbon reduction measures in airline operations.
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