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Air France and KLM will be among the first airlines in
the world to test AirPods. In May 2009, a pilot project kicks off using
seven of these zero-emission, compressed-air-driven vehicles.
Air France and KLM will be using these
zero-emission vehicles over a six-month period to transport
passengers and light cargo at Paris Charles de Gaulle and
Amsterdam Schiphol (East). Diesel vehicles are currently still in
use at these airports.
The AirPod exemplifies the series of sustainable
innovations admired by Minister Camiel Eurlings, Minister of
Transport and Public Works for the Dutch government when he
visited KLM on Wednesday. A recent agreement closed between the
sector and government focuses on promoting sustainable innovation.
KLM intends to turn these agreements into concrete achievements.
“We don’t stop at pretty words,” said KLM President & CEO Peter
Hartman. “Despite facing strong economic headwind, KLM intends to
continue to lead the world in the field of innovation and
sustainability.”
The minister also admired several
other innovations including:
- Aircraft stairs featuring
solar panels. These stairs are used handling aircraft at the new B
Pier (South), for example, where there are no gates.
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Reusing old aircraft components, as initiated by KLM last year.
Scraps are used to make new engine components, for example.
-
Research into energy recovery from company waste. This process
involves converting catering waste into heat and electricity using
special technology, releasing no CO2. What’s more, the waste no
longer has to be transported elsewhere, further reducing CO2
emissions and saving transports costs.
- The development
of alternative fuels, such as kerosene made from algae. Together
with government, KLM hopes to significantly stimulate this
development.
- The use of sustainable materials and
achieving weight savings on board, such as the use of lighter
trolleys, saving almost ten kilograms a trolley. Depending on the
destination, this involves around eight to eleven trolleys a
flight. Other examples include lighter fleece blankets, coffee
cups made of recyclable raw materials, and serving sustainable
fish and rainforest coffee.
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