SAS wins prestigious sustainability award

SAS has been honored with two prestigious awards at The Aviation Challenge (TAC) 2024, organized by SkyTeam. Recognized as one of the airline industry's most impactful global competitions, TAC is dedicated to driving meaningful progress in sustainability. SAS received nominations in three categories and proudly secured victories in Best Scaled Cargo solution and Best Scaled FlightOps Solution.  

SAS participated in TAC for the first time with a celebration flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles. 2024 marked the 70th anniversary of SAS becoming the first airline to fly over the North Pole—a groundbreaking achievement that significantly shortened the journey between Europe and North America, saving fuel and reducing emissions. 

TAC is an annual SkyTeam event where member airlines showcase operational excellence, sustainability efforts, and innovation. Airlines completed 33 showcase flights and submitted 327 innovative solutions. Each airline was evaluated on CO₂ reduction, ground handling efficiency, waste minimization, and sustainability innovations to drive industry transformation. 

The SAS flight to Los Angeles achieved a nearly 20% reduction in CO₂ emissions per passenger, demonstrating the significant impact of meticulous planning and strategic route optimization in reducing aviation’s environmental footprint.  

SAS also received special recognition from SkyTeam for operating the flight with the lowest CO₂ emissions, underscoring its commitment to sustainability and operational excellence. 

SAS won the following awards in recognition of its dedication to sustainable innovation and collaboration:  

• Best Scaled Cargo Solution: For the innovative light board pallet initiative, which reduces weight and significantly cuts fuel consumption across cargo operations. 

• Best Scaled FlightOps Solution: For the fuel Efficiency Program, delivering impactful reductions in CO₂ emissions. 

The Aviation Challenge award ceremony brought SkyTeam member airlines together, providing a valuable platform to share expertise, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative solutions that will pave the way for more sustainable air travel in the future. 

"Being recognized as winners in two categories at The Aviation Challenge 2024 is a tremendous source of pride for us. This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone at SAS. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we are excited to continue driving the important transformation to more sustainable air travel together with all our partners and colleagues," says Mads Brandstrup Senior Vice President of Communication, Public Affairs and Sustainability at SAS. 

As the aviation industry faces mounting sustainability demands, SAS is committed to driving the important transformation through innovation, harnessing partnerships, advanced solutions, and a strong focus on operational efficiency to drive meaningful progress.  

For generations, SAS has worked to make aviation more sustainable. From building a more efficient fleet of aircraft and optimizing the use of resources to the introduction and use of sustainable air fuel. With a firm commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, SAS is ready to take the steps that will help drive structural change in the aviation industry and support the transition into a more sustainable future.  

SAS will host The Aviation Challenge 2025, welcoming SkyTeam member airlines to its global hub in Copenhagen, situated at the heart of SAS’ home turf, Scandinavia. 

For more information, please contact:  
SAS Press Office, phn +46 8 797 2944

SAS, Scandinavia's leading airline since 1946, operates from its principal hub at Copenhagen Airport (CPH), complemented by hubs in Oslo (OSL) and Stockholm (ARN).
Our mission is to connect Scandinavia with the world and the world with Scandinavia. Each year, SAS serves more than 25 million passengers and transports 60 000 tons of cargo to 135 destinations across Europe, the USA, and Asia. With a passionate workforce of over 10,000 colleagues, we collaborate with partners and customers to drive transformative changes in aviation. We are committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, embodying the visionary spirit of our founders: “To move from the old to what is about to come, is the only tradition worth keeping”. Innovation and societal progress are at the heart of everything we do. SAS joined SkyTeam in September 2024 and together with our partner airlines we offer a wide network worldwide. 

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