Alaska Airlines eliminates inflight plastic cups: West Coast-based airline becomes first U.S. carrier to replace plastic with planet-friendly alternative

Rhea-AI Summary

Alaska Airlines has transitioned to paper cups for inflight beverages, eliminating over 55 million plastic cups annually. This move positions Alaska Airlines as the first U.S. airline to ban plastic cups, reducing plastic waste by approximately 2.2 million pounds each year, equating to the weight of 24 Boeing 737s. The airline has been progressively eliminating plastic waste since 2018, including the removal of plastic straws and stir sticks. Alaska Airlines is committed to sustainability, aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and encouraging passengers to reduce waste through initiatives like #FillBeforeYouFly.

Positive

• First U.S. airline to eliminate plastic cups, enhancing brand reputation.
• Reduction of over 2.2 million pounds of plastic waste annually.
• Strong commitment to sustainability aligns with consumer values.
• Established goals for achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Negative

• None.

SEATTLE, Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Airlines announced today the completion of our transition to paper cups for inflight beverages, a move which eliminates more than 55 million plastic cups annually and replaces them with a more planet-friendly alternative. The change to paper cups makes Alaska Airlines the first U.S. airline to eliminate plastic cups. Combined with our Boxed Water™ partnership, these changes eliminate 2.2 million pounds of plastic waste from landfills every year, the equivalent weight of 24 Boeing 737s.

"Doing the right thing is one of our core values and nothing is more right and urgent than protecting the beautiful places that we connect our guests to through flight," said Todd Traynor-Corey, managing director of guest products for Alaska Airlines. "This is another important step in our journey to eliminate single-use plastics and an important step for the industry to see how product innovations can chart a course to a greener future."

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. We began the process of eliminating our five largest sources of plastic waste in 2018 by removing plastic straws and stir sticks from inflight service – a first for any airline at the time.

In 2021, Alaska continued our progress by eliminating inflight plastic water bottle waste by replacing them with Boxed Water™, another first for airlines. Boxed Water™ cartons are made from renewable FSC certified paper, 92% of which is plant-based, saving an estimated 1.8 million pounds of single-use plastics on our flights annually.

"Eliminating plastics is a team effort," said Traynor-Corey. "It requires broad collaboration with our supply chain partners and inflight team to make new products and practices that move us toward a future with less plastic. That progress only happens with a deeply shared commitment to care for our environment."

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, we also encourage our guests to join us in reducing waste by bringing their own water bottles to #FillBeforeYouFly.

As part of our broader sustainability efforts, Alaska continues to pursue product innovations and supply chain advancements to achieve our 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 we live and fly beautiful and viable for generations to come.

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines and our regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico. We emphasize low fares and award-winning customer service. Alaska is a member of the oneworld global alliance. With the alliance and our additional airline partners, our guests can travel to more than 900 destinations on more than 20 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at news.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.

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SOURCE Alaska Airlines

FAQ

What is Alaska Airlines' recent environmental initiative?

Alaska Airlines has eliminated inflight plastic cups, replacing them with paper cups to reduce plastic waste.

How many plastic cups does Alaska Airlines eliminate annually?

Alaska Airlines eliminates over 55 million plastic cups every year.

What weight of plastic waste does Alaska Airlines' initiative remove?

The initiative removes approximately 2.2 million pounds of plastic waste, equivalent to the weight of 24 Boeing 737s.

When did Alaska Airlines start eliminating plastic waste?

Alaska Airlines began eliminating its largest sources of plastic waste in 2018.

What sustainability goals has Alaska Airlines set for 2040?

Alaska Airlines aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.