India (Commonwealth Union)_ Air India has recently made an announcement to reduce the use of single-use plastic by almost 80 percent on all flights across its global network. This commendable step was taken to mark Earth Day, which is celebrated annually across the world. According to Air India, this initiative has been in place since the privatization of the airline and is an ongoing mission led by a team of in-house experts, catering partners, and multiple vendors. The goal is to continually reduce the carrier’s environmental impact.
A statement from the airline said, “The reduction has been achieved since the privatization of Air India in an ongoing effort led by a team of in-house experts and supported by catering partners and multiple vendors, with the aim of continually minimizing the carrier’s environmental impact.” Apart from these, other environmentally friendly measures have also been taken by Air India. Plastic stirrers have been replaced with wooden ones, and reusable linen bags have been introduced on board. The airline has also introduced 100 percent compostable PET lids and primary-use plastic bags, along with 100 percent compostable waste bags.
The initiatives taken by Air India in this direction include the elimination of 500ml plastic water bottles from all Economy Class seat pockets on widebody aircraft operating international routes. In addition, there has been a major reduction in the bulk uplift of 200ml water bottles on both international and domestic carriers. These bottles are now only served on pre-set meal trays. Moreover, water pours are introduced from one-liter water bottles during flights. Plastic zip lock bags for cutlery are replaced with paper packaging, and plastic straws are replaced with paper straws.
The statement further added that Air India is working towards introducing paper cutlery for Economy Class passengers soon, apart from pursuing multiple other approaches that would further minimize the usage of single-use plastic. Further, it is heartening to see that Air India continues to integrate environmental and social principles into its businesses, with the objective of becoming one of the most environmentally friendly organizations in the world. This step taken by Air India sets an example for other airlines and organizations to follow, as it is crucial to protecting our planet for future generations.
