How SAS Scandinavian Airlines Reduced Glycol Waste to Win a Top Sustainability Award.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has earned a major industry honor. The airline was recognized at The Aviation Challenge Awards. This event was hosted by SAS in Copenhagen on January 21, 2026.

SAS secured the award for Most Impactful Solution – Ground Operations. This recognition highlights the airline’s commitment to SAS Scandinavian Airlines sustainability efforts.

The Award-Winning Solution

SAS was honored for its innovative approach to ground operations de-icing. The solution involves advanced de-/anti-icing fluids. It also uses precision measuring tools. This combination drastically helps in reducing glycol use. The result is both impactful and safety-critical.

Glycol-based fluids are essential for safe winter operations. They prevent ice from forming on aircraft surfaces. However, runoff from these fluids poses a significant aviation environmental impact. The fluids have a high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). This can reduce dissolved oxygen in local water sources.

By implementing precision tools, SAS can apply the exact amount of fluid needed. This minimizes waste and environmental runoff. The solution delivers measurable sustainability progress through operational changes.

Collaboration and Scalability

The Aviation Challenge is a global airline collaboration initiative presented by SkyTeam. It aims to accelerate progress in a complex industry. Airlines share data, knowledge, and real-world testing results. This process helps develop scalable operational solutions for the entire community.

Anko van der Werff, President and CEO of SAS, spoke about the achievement. He noted that the event showed the power of collaboration in action. He called SkyTeam a driving force in pushing sustainability forward.

Mads Brandstrup, SAS Senior Vice President of Communication, Public Affairs and Sustainability, also commented. He emphasized that the recognition reflects the work of many teams. He stated that tangible progress is made through operational changes that can be scaled across the industry.

Industry Context and Impact

The SkyTeam Aviation Challenge Awards are a key showcase for innovation. The 2025 edition, centered on 'Impact,' brought together 22 participating airlines. They completed over 80 showcase flights.

Overall, these flights demonstrated a 13.5% average improvement in CO₂ intensity. This was compared to each airline’s standard operations. It also represented a 12% reduction against the industry average. These results show the potential of shared learning.

SAS’s award highlights the growing focus on ground-based emissions and waste. While air travel emissions get much attention, ground operations are crucial. Solutions like reducing glycol use offer immediate, practical benefits. They improve efficiency while mitigating local environmental harm.

SAS congratulates other airlines recognized for standout achievements. These included innovations in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and waste reduction. The awards underscore the breadth of progress across the global aviation community.

• SAS’s solution uses advanced de-/anti-icing fluids and precision measuring tools to minimize waste.
• Glycol reduction is critical because runoff can severely impact local aquatic environments due to high BOD.
• The SkyTeam Aviation Challenge is a key airline collaboration initiative for sharing scalable, data-driven solutions.
• The 2025 Challenge demonstrated an average 13.5% improvement in CO₂ intensity across participating showcase flights.

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