Etihad Airways has operated a special ‘eco-flight’ from Abu Dhabi to Brussels featuring a range of initiatives designed to illustrate the airline’s broad commitment to sustainable practices in the air and on the ground, in support of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
The flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner included the collaborative efforts with a range of cabin service suppliers to highlight incremental opportunities to reduce the airline’s impact on the environment.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Aviation Group, Tony Douglas, said: “This year’s national theme of the United Arab Emirates is ‘2020: Towards the next 50’. Etihad is committed to working continuously with a range of partners as part of a broader national focus on environmental sustainability.”
Initiatives included minimal single-use plastics on board, including removal of plastic wrapping from blankets, headsets wrapped in paper (Economy) and velvet bags (Business), plastic-free amenity kits; lightweight metal cutlery (Sola Cutlery the Netherlands), meals served in aluminium dishes, water served in recyclable boxes (Oasis), and hot beverage cups replaced with recyclable cups (Butterfly Cup); and innovative wheat-based plates (Biotrem) for on-demand meals in Business class.
