Vietnam Airlines participated in SkyTeam’s Aviation Challenge 2024 last month, organising a special flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Paris on 16 September. 

This flight also sought to support the United Nations’ International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. 

To operate flight VN11 in line with SkyTeam’s challenge, Vietnam Airlines utilised a Boeing 787-9 equipped with next-generation engines that significantly reduce emissions and noise pollution. 

It also optimised the flight path to Europe, which not only shortened travel times but also lowered fuel consumption and minimised environmental impact. These strategies utilised a modern fleet and optimised flight paths are crucial to Vietnam Airlines’ commitment to sustainable development. 

Participating in The Aviation Challenge aligns with Vietnam Airlines’ development strategy in response to the environmental challenges facing both the global and domestic aviation industries.

As the national flag carrier, Vietnam Airlines is committed to its social and environmental responsibilities, including collaborating with the Government to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, while actively engaging as a responsible member of the SkyTeam alliance. 

Moreover, flight VN11 significantly reduced the use of nylon and single-use plastics, a practice that Vietnam Airlines has committed to across its network for years. This initiative has led to the elimination of tens of millions of plastic items and bags each year.

The gift of sustainability

Passengers aboard the special flight received an emblematic plush toy: the critically endangered white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys), one of the most highly threatened primates in the world. 

This gift also served to highlight the “Contribute Leaves to the Forests – For a Green and Sustainable Vietnam” campaign organised by Vietnam Airlines in partnership with MoMo and Pan Nature.  

The initiative aims to restore 50 hectares of forest in the corridor between Mai Chau District (Hoa Binh Province) and Van Ho District (Son La Province) in Northwest Vietnam. 

As well as focusing on reforesting the area and cutting CO2 emissions to combat climate change, the campaign also seeks to raise awareness on forest protection within local communities and conserve the region’s unique biodiversity, particularly the white-cheeked gibbon of which only 14 individuals remain.