Kenya Airways on the Path to more Sustainable Aviation

Think about your daily commute. A shorter route, lighter load, or smoother drive saves fuel and money. Now imagine scaling that logic to thousands of flights across continents. That is the challenge Kenya Airways faces every day, and it is meeting it with a culture of steadfast fuel efficiency.

Jet fuel represents both the lifeblood of aviation and its heaviest burden. In 2024, it accounted for nearly half of Kenya Airways’ operating expenses and more than 99 percent of its total energy use, producing 1.42 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

This dependency might appear daunting, yet it also clarifies the opportunity. Every kilogram of fuel saved lowers costs for the airline, keeps fares accessible for passengers, and shrinks the climate footprint. Efficiency has evolved from an operational consideration into an existential necessity.

Kenya Airways has embraced conservation as a fundamental principle. Data-driven flight planning ensures pilots select the most fuel-efficient routes, altitudes, and speeds. The airline applies global best practices in descent and landing to reduce fuel burn.

Globally, IATA estimates that improved operational efficiency can save over 15 million tonnes of CO₂ every year. For Kenya Airways, embedding these measures has delivered measurable results across its network.

 “Fuel conservation is no longer about margins, it is about survival.” 
Efficiency is not only in the skies. By 2024, Kenya Airways had electrified 12 percent of its ground service equipment, focusing on baggage handling operations. With over five million passengers carried annually, this transition removes approximately 264 tonnes of CO₂ per year while improving air quality in high-traffic airport zones.
Each electric tug or belt loader also saves thousands of dollars annually in fuel and maintenance. Sustainability here is not only visible, it is financially sound.
 
 “Efficiency is visible on the ground — 264 tonnes of CO₂ gone, cleaner air for passengers, and lower costs for the airline.”

Conservation alone cannot deliver net zero. That is why Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is central to Kenya Airways’ long-term plan. Globally, SAF is expected to provide about 65 percent of the emission cuts aviation needs by 2050, yet it currently makes up less than one percent of jet fuel.

Kenya Airways is bridging this gap through two parallel approaches:-
•    Adoption: From January 2025, all European flights uplifted a 2 percent SAF blend, saving 24,700 tonnes CO₂ annually. The TAC Showcase Flights add another 22 tonnes CO₂ savings, highlighting Kenya Airways’ leadership in operational demonstrations.
•    Production: The airline advanced the region’s first SAF production facility in Kenya, sourcing feedstocks such as agricultural residues and waste oils. This reduces reliance on imports, cuts emissions, and creates new jobs.

Recognition has followed. At the 2024 Aviation Challenge in Jeddah, Kenya Airways’ SAF initiative won the Best Approach to Scaling SAF Award, proving that indigenous solutions can achieve global impact.

 “We do not see SAF as an alternative fuel, we see it as Africa’s passport to climate-compatible growth.”

Efficiency thrives when supported by policy. Kenya Airways has anchored its sustainability agenda within global frameworks such as the UN Global Compact, ICAO and IATA, while actively contributing to CORSIA and the SkyTeam Sustainability Advisory Group. This ensures compliance with international standards while giving Africa a voice in shaping them.

At the continental level, the airline has urged African governments to incentivize SAF production, harmonize technical standards, and ensure fair competition for early adopters. These calls are not theoretical: they respond directly to the cost pressures of scaling SAF and the risk that pioneering carriers could otherwise be penalized.

At the national level, Kenya Airways sits on Kenya’s SAF Steering Committee, working with regulators to unlock local feedstock, design supportive frameworks, and scale indigenous production. By linking operational pilots with policy design, the airline ensures regulation is grounded in real-world data.

By coupling demonstration with advocacy, Kenya Airways proves that efficiency is not just an airline choice but a policy imperative for Africa’s aviation future.

 “Efficiency must be backed by policy, otherwise pioneers carry the burden alone.”

Africa’s air travel demand is expected to double within two decades. If that growth relies on conventional jet fuel, the environmental consequences will be severe. But if driven by efficiency and innovation, it could set a new global benchmark for sustainability transition .

Kenya Airways has already made its position clear: efficiency is more than cost-cutting, it is a new way of flying that safeguards the planet, empowers people, and keeps Africa connected.