Alaska Airlines becomes the first U.S. airline to swap plastic cups with the planet-friendly alternative, paper cups.
All inflight beverages on Alaska flights will now be served in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper cups. For most first-class service, drinks will be served in reusable glassware.
“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” according to Alaska Airlines’ press release.
“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 said in a press release. “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.”
Another way Alaska Airlines encourages its guests to eliminate plastic waste is through the #FillBeforeYouFly campaign. Travelers can reduce waste by bringing their water bottles and filling them up before their flight.
“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.”