Alaska Airlines has completely transitioned to using paper cups for inflight beverages. The change makes it the first U.S airline to fully replace plastics cups with more eco-friendly alternatives and will eliminate more than 55 million plastic cups annually.
The transition to paper cups, combined with the airline’s existing partnership with Boxed Water™, will remove 2.2 million pounds of plastic from landfills every year, equivalent to the weight of 24 Boeing 737s.
“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, 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,” he added.
Inflight beverages on Alaska Airlines flights will now be served in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper cups, or reusable glassware in most First-Class cabins.
The U.S carrier first began eliminating single-use plastics in 2018 by removing plastic straws and stir sticks from inflight service. By 2021, it had replaced inflight plastic water bottles with Boxed Water™, made from 92% plant-based, renewable FSC certified paper.
To further reduce waste, the airline also encourages guests to bring their own water bottles on flights as part of its #FillBeforeYouFly initiative.
The airline aims to replace its top five waste-producing items from onboard service by 2025, with later goals to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
According to Traynor-Corey, eliminating plastics is “a team effort”: “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,” he said.
