Aviation
Alaska Airlines eliminates inflight plastic cups
Alaska Airlines stated today that the switch from plastic to paper cups for in-flight beverages is now complete, saving the world by eliminating more than 55 million plastic cups each year. Alaska Airlines is the first U.S. airline to stop using plastic cups after switching to paper cups. Together with the Boxed WaterTM agreement, these modifications remove 24 Boeing 737s’ worth of plastic trash annually from landfills, or 2.2 million pounds.
Can the tracking of in-flight catering improve airline sustainability.(Opens in a new browser tab)
All inflight beverages on Alaska flights are now served in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper cups or reusable glassware for most First Class services.
Single-use plastics increase the use of fossil fuels, generate millions of tons of waste to landfills, and pollute waterways and natural spaces. According to the most recent EPA study, an estimated 300 million tons of plastics are produced each year worldwide with the vast majority going unrecycled, either to accumulate in landfills or the environment. While Alaska takes steps to eliminate plastics, It also encourage guests to join us in reducing waste by bringing their own water bottles to #FillBeforeYouFly.
As part of broader sustainability efforts, Alaska continues to pursue product innovations and supply chain advancements to achieve 2025 goal of replacing the top five waste-producing items from onboard service and continuing to recycle. In 2021, Alaska established climate goals for its impacts in carbon, waste and water while defining a five-part pathway to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040 to keep the places Alaska live and fly beautiful and viable for generations to come.
