As the aviation industry is growing rapidly, stakeholders are concerned about the impact it can have on the environment. However, over the years, airlines and airports have taken initiatives to reduce carbon emissions by adopting sustainable practices. World Environment Day 2025 urges global action to eliminate the use of plastic, which aligns with this year’s theme: Beat Plastic Pollution.
How are major airlines beating plastic pollution?
In 2023, Alaska Airlines became the first US airline to eliminate the use of plastic cups for serving beverages onboard, helping it remove approximately 55 million plastic cups annually. On the other hand, Delta Air Lines replaced single-use plastic cups with recyclable paper cups in its transcontinental flights in 2024.
After the takeover by Tata Group in January 2022, Air India has also taken sustainable measures. Notably, Air India has reduced the use of single-use plastic by a whopping 80 percent on flights. According to an Indian Eagle travel customer, Air India discontinued providing 500ml plastic water bottles in economy class from Chicago to Delhi. It has replaced it with water pour service from one-liter water bottles. This is being practised on nearly all international flights operated by widebody aircraft. Air India has also minimized using the 200ml water bottles on all flights and is only serving pre-set meal trays.
Also Read: Benefits of Sustainable Tourism
How are airports eliminating plastic items?
San Francisco International Airport became the first airport in USA to ban selling single-use plastic water bottles in 2019. This was a part of SFO’s Zero Waste Concessions Program launched the same year. Since then, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport are some of the US airports that have banned or minimized the use of plastic to a great extent.
The Airports Authority of India had also made an announcement in October 2019 that 55 airports in India have banned various single-use plastic items like straws, plastic plates, plastic cutlery etc. Indian airports like Indira Gandhi International Airport, Rajiv Gandhi international Airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, and Mangaluru International Airport have been recognised as single-use plastic free airports by Airports Council International.
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