KLM and Aruba’s ‘Green Flow’
By Anika in Business opportunities, Free Zone Aruba News, Members on 21. May, 2014No Comments
On May 16, 2014 KLM launched its biofuel flights to Aruba and Bonaire. KLM is the leader in sustainable aviation and drives ambitious targets for 2020 under its “KLM Takes Care” strategy. KLM will fly between Amsterdam and the Caribbean islands on biofuel for the upcoming six months with an Airbus A330-200. Flying with a lighter aircraft on the route to Aruba and Bonaire also helps with reducing CO2-emissions. KLM says: ‘This marks another step forward on the journey to more sustainable aviation, by reducing CO2 emissions and fuel consumption through enhanced engine performance and utilizing lighter, more efficient aircraft.’
Aruba and Bonaire put sustainability high on the agenda. Aruba has set high targets in the field of sustainability. The European Commission and KLM will use these flights to demonstrate the potential of biofuel for air travel and their contribution towards reducing the environmental impact of aviation.
The biofuel flights to Aruba and Bonaire takes the aviation industry a step closer to operate more environmentally friendly.
At Aruba’s Reina Beatrix Airport, Mike Eman, Prime Minister of Aruba, welcomed this special flight carrying Camiel Eurlings, President & CEO KLM, Jos Nijhuis, CEO Schiphol Group, Paul Riemens, CEO LVNL and chair of CANSO, Johan van de Gronden, CEO of WWF-NL, Andrea Debbane, Head of Environmental Affairs Airbus Group, and Paul Verhoef, Head of Unit Renewable Energy Resources of the European Commission.
Aruba took the opportunity to demonstrate the ‘Happy Flow’ concept while welcoming the first biofuel flight to the island. This special project group with team members from KLM, Aruba and Schiphol Group demonstrated a combined biometrics and pre-clearance project known as ‘Happy Flow’. This project will be implemented by the end of 2014 for a group of passengers traveling from Aruba to Europe.
The biometrics project makes it possible for passengers flying to Europe, to scan their passport and boarding pass on arrival and link this to a picture of their face. This gives passengers the ability to go through all the steps at the airport (baggage drop-off, border control and boarding) by showing their face to a camera before boarding the aircraft.
The Happy Flow concept makes it possible to travel from Aruba to Amsterdam with a simple passport check on Aruba. This means that passengers have been pre-cleared on Aruba for all Schengen countries and will not have to check in for a second time upon arrival at Schiphol.