Alaska Airlines has today announced the completion of their transition to paper cups for inflight beverages. The plastic cups have been replaced with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper cups, eliminating over 55 million plastic cups annually.
On Wednesday (January 25, 2023), Alaska Airlines announced that they have become the first U.S. airline to completely eliminate plastic cups for inflight beverage service. The completed transition eliminates 55 million plastic cups annually. The carrier eliminated plastic straws and stir sticks in 2018, an airline first at the time, and from November 2021 began replacing plastic bottled water with the more sustainable Boxed Water™. By using Forest Steward Council (FSC) certified paper cups, or reusable glassware in First Class, as well as Boxed Water, Alaska Airlines is eliminating more than 2.2 million pounds of plastic from landfills each year, the equivalent weight of 24 Boeing 737s.
Alsaka Airlines Celebrates the Complete Elimination of Plastic Cups Onboard - Courtesy Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines and their regional partners serve over 120 destinations in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Belize. The sustainability-focused carrier emphasizes Next-Level Care for guests, while offering low fares and award-winning service. Alaska has hubs in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and Anchorage. The carrier is a member of the oneworld global alliance, and along with their additional partners, Alaska Airlines’ guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 1,000 global destinations on over 20 airlines. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of the Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK).
Source: Alaska Airlines