KLM Tests Onboard Filtered Seawater Cans on Select Flights

(AMSTERDAM) KLM is testing serving filtered seawater in cans on select flights this week, marking a new step in the 2025 Aviation Challenge, an annual SkyTeam program that encourages airlines to trial greener ideas across their operations. The carrier began offering desalinated and purified seawater instead of regular bottled water on flights from Amsterdam to Rome, Nairobi, and Kraków between October 4 and 10, 2025, with crews recording passenger reactions and operational notes. The goal is to cut single-use plastics and trim extra onboard water weight, which can help reduce fuel burn and emissions. Results will guide whether the airline expands the idea after the trial window ends.

KLM’s initiative sits within a broader push to rethink onboard water logistics. Airlines typically load large amounts of drinking water to cover service needs and safety margins on every flight. That extra weight adds up, especially on longer routes.

By swapping some bottled water for canned filtered seawater — and by fine-tuning how much onboard water is actually needed per flight — KLM aims to carry less overall. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, even small weight reductions across hundreds of daily flights can produce meaningful emissions savings over time while also reducing plastic waste.

Trial details and passenger experience

During the trial period, passengers were offered cans of filtered seawater during the drinks service. The water is processed through desalination and purification to meet drinking standards before packaging.

KLM is gathering feedback on taste, design, and convenience to see if travelers accept this change as part of routine onboard service. The airline has not announced a permanent switch. As of October 15, 2025, it remains a test, and the company will review passenger comments, cabin crew reports, and supply-chain data before deciding on next steps.

Key operational topics KLM is testing alongside the seawater cans:

• AI-based water calculation tools to better predict how much onboard water is needed per route and time of day.
• Efficient flying tools to smooth climbs and descents and save fuel.
• Meal pre-selection trials to lower food waste by loading meals closer to actual demand.
• Digital boarding passes replacing paper to reduce waste.

These trials reflect a strategy of many small gains that add up across the network.

Flights covered during the weeklong program

• Amsterdam–Rome
• Amsterdam–Nairobi
• Amsterdam–Kraków

KLM says the Aviation Challenge helps airlines share what works, making it easier to scale ideas across partners rather than re-inventing the same solution in different parts of the alliance. The filtered seawater test fits that spirit: simple to explain, quick to measure through passenger surveys, and practical to compare against standard bottled-water workflows.

Environmental and industry context

Aviation faces pressure to cut emissions not just from engines, but from everything that happens around a flight — catering, paper use, and onboard waste all count. Replacing bottled water with filtered seawater in cans won’t change the carbon math on its own, but it may:

• Reduce plastic use
• Allow more precise planning of onboard water stocks
• Lower aircraft weight and thus fuel use at scale

For airlines, the test is also an opportunity to learn how customers respond to less familiar products and whether a new option can match the simplicity of a bottle handed out in the aisle.

Safety, regulation, and oversight

Water safety rules remain a firm baseline. In Europe, oversight bodies and national regulators set standards for aircraft drinking water systems and hygiene.

Readers seeking official guidance on aviation safety oversight can review the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s resources, which outline how regulators and industry work to keep passengers safe across the flight experience.

For more, see the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) at the official site: EASA.

While KLM’s test relies on packaged cans rather than aircraft tanks, any long-term shift in onboard water practices still needs to align with quality and handling rules.

Community links and broader outcomes

KLM’s trial also links environmental steps with community support. Through its Wings of Support foundation, the airline connects sustainability efforts with social programs in some destination communities. This pairing reflects a trend among carriers to combine social and environmental efforts so passengers see a broader story rather than a single product swap.

The Aviation Challenge framework encourages that view by asking airlines to trial several ideas at once and report results, including what did not work as planned.

Practical considerations for crew and passengers

For travelers, the test may change small parts of the in-flight routine. Cans open differently than bottles, and some people prefer to reseal bottles for later. KLM’s surveys will likely capture these practical details, along with views on taste and branding.

Crews will weigh in on:
– Storage and waste sorting — cans must be easy to handle and recycle on tight turnarounds.
– Service speed — the packaging should not slow busy cabin runs.

Catering teams will watch:
– Supply reliability
– Shelf life
because food and drink stockouts can create service issues that outweigh plastic savings.

How this fits into wider airline efficiency efforts

From an industry view, the filtered seawater pilot fits a wider search for lighter, smarter service. Examples of related trials include:

• Thinner trolleys
• Recyclable meal containers
• Data tools that cut unneeded loads

If AI-based water forecasting proves accurate, carriers could reduce excess onboard water without risking shortages and use packaged options like filtered seawater cans as a flexible back-up. The better the forecast, the less “just in case” water sits in tanks or cargo, making it easier to keep weight down without touching safety reserves.

For passengers concerned about climate impact, the main carbon levers remain aircraft type, fuel mix, and load factor, but service items still matter. On long-haul flights, repeated handouts of bottled water create piles of plastic. A switch to cans may reduce that plastic and, combined with better water planning, cut weight even when customers ask for more drinks.

Next steps and decision factors

KLM has not offered a schedule for decisions beyond the test window. The airline will review data from the October 4–10, 2025 period and compare the filtered seawater option with current bottled-water service on:

• Taste
• Safety
• Cost
• Weight
• Waste
• Supply resilience

Any roll-out would likely depend on:
– Steady sourcing of desalinated, purified water at scale
– Reliable packaging and handling procedures
– Clear crew processes to keep service quick during busy cabin runs

VisaVerge.com reports that alliance-led challenges often move faster than solo efforts when trials show clear, repeatable wins.

Takeaway

As airlines share ideas through the Aviation Challenge, the filtered seawater test will draw attention from peers seeking practical ways to trim plastic and better manage onboard water. If KLM’s passengers accept the cans and the numbers line up, the next phase could reach more routes and partners. If not, the trial still adds valuable data to the growing effort to make flying lighter and cleaner — and shows that even a simple cup of water can be part of that shift.