Etihad’s Single Use Plastic Free Flight (Abu Dhabi to Brisbane)
Earlier this week, Etihad had announced a 100% single-use plastic free flight. EY484 – operating from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane – was the chosen flight. April 21, 2019 was the chosen date.
I was very curious to know how they would pull it off. Single-use plastic is everywhere on an airplane. From the plastic covers on your cutlery, to the plastic cups for beverages. And remember it is a fourteen hour flight. What about toothbrush?
Louise Burke, editor of The National, UAE, was on this flight (business class). She has described her experience in a series of tweets. I am only posting them below for readers of this blog.
Business Class Amenity Kits
The kits were provided in a reusable jute bag. The perfume was provided in a glass bottle. Although, there might have been a teeny tiny plastic lid on it 🙂
So here’s the (single-use) plastic-free vanity kit – it’s got an unbleached jute bag, cotton socks, an eye mask and a toothbrush made from a wheat straw composite, plus an Aqua Di Parma scent in a glass bottle (tiny plastic lid I think?) – really nice IMO pic.twitter.com/XEB2PKMotz
— Louise Burke (@Louiseontwitr) April 21, 2019
Toys and Blankets for Kids
I especially like the package they have for kids. Not only are these made from recycled plastic, they look very cute.
Even the kids are getting the sustainability treatment on this flight – these toys and blankets are made out of recycled bottles pic.twitter.com/4MzjzPUEQo
— Louise Burke (@Louiseontwitr) April 22, 2019
Food
Business class meals are pre-plated in Etihad. Further, silverware is provided so eliminating plastic is not the most difficult thing to do.
For the economy meal, reusable trays, steel cutlery and paper bags were used.
I’ve just woken up from a nice snooze in my recycled socks… so I’ll bring you up to date. Business class dinner isn’t so easy to illustrate because it’s all plated up anyway, but I got hold of an Economy meal to show you. It’s a reusable tray… pic.twitter.com/3E6blssd3h
— Louise Burke (@Louiseontwitr) April 22, 2019
Tea and Coffee
This one literally takes the cake (or the waffle to be precise). Coffee was provided in waffle cones (will not decompose for 40 minutes). More of this please!
And here’s how the coffee comes…. this is an edible Cupffee – it tastes a bit like ice-cream cone wafer. Apparently it can last up to 40 minutes with coffee or tea in it without going soggy pic.twitter.com/eiqA17NEAE
— Louise Burke (@Louiseontwitr) April 22, 2019
Dental Care Products
Etihad provided a wheat straw composite toothbrush and chewable tablets as toothpaste. This was as innovative as the coffee cups I suppose.
Post meal I needed to brush my teeth with the wheat straw composite toothbrush. I was wondering how they would solve toothpaste – it’s one thing I hear people complain a lot about not being able to find a plastic-free alternative. @EtihadAirways sourced these nifty tablets pic.twitter.com/E54g73N6TW
— Louise Burke (@Louiseontwitr) April 22, 2019
Final Thoughts
This must have been an interesting flight. Single-use plastic is a menace and any effort to reduce this must be appreciated. I am certain that not every change made by Etihad on this flight is commercially viable. However, it is still an initiative worth applauding.
While this was a one-off, Etihad plans to reduce its single-use plastic usage by 80% by the end of 2022. Let’s hope all other airlines do the same.
