KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has significantly reduced food waste on board aircraft by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence. Through AI programs, the company can accurately predict the number of passengers who will actually board a flight based on their bookings. This enables KLM to calculate the exact quantity of meals needed, resulting in up to 63% less food waste per flight. Annually, this translates to saving over 100,000 kg of meals.
Marjan Rintel, CEO and President of KLM, emphasizes the importance of digital technology investments, stating, “The application of artificial intelligence contributes enormously to improving our flight operations and making them more sustainable. Combatting food waste is a good example of this, resulting in tens of thousands fewer meals being wasted on our flights each year.”
KLM utilizes artificial intelligence to determine the number of meals required on board, considering that not all booked passengers show up for the flight. The latest AI model, TRAYS, is specifically tailored for KLM’s catering activities. It predicts the number of passengers based on historical data, providing accurate forecasts for different passenger classes. This prediction process begins 17 days before departure and continues until 20 minutes before takeoff, ensuring precise meal planning and preventing surplus meals.
TRAYS, launched by Kickstart AI, a collaborative initiative involving leading companies like KLM, bol, Ahold Delhaize, NS, and ING, has shown remarkable results. A three-month analysis revealed a 63% reduction in food waste compared to catering for every booked passenger, with intercontinental flights from Schiphol experiencing the largest improvement. This translates to a significant annual saving of 111,000 kg in meals across all KLM flights catered from Schiphol.
Beyond food waste reduction, KLM is exploring various applications of artificial intelligence across its operations, including aircraft maintenance and optimizing flight schedules during adverse weather conditions. Additionally, AI programs offer personalized travel tips to customers after flight bookings, enhancing the overall travel experience.