Alaska Airlines Tests Reusable Beverage Cups on Minneapolis to Seattle Flight

Alaska Airlines commemorated "National Reuse Day" with a partnership with r.World to provide on-flight passengers with reusable cups. For one round-trip flight, the airline experimented with reusable "r.Cups" in place of disposable cups.

The Cost-Cutting Cup

On October 20, Alaska Airlines served passengers out of special r.World r.Cups during a flight from Seattle, Washington to Minneapolis, Minnesota. The experiment with the new cup has helped the airline explore the possibilities of reducing waste on flights, and get hands-on impressions from passengers regarding reusable cups.

The r.Cup provides simple instructions that recommend the user discard the cup inside a special green r.Cup bin. Following the flight, staff would then clean and sanitize the cups for the next occasion. This allows the airline to take out smaller bags of waste that aren't full of disposable cups. Alaska Airlines states that the company strives to reduce waste and carbon emissions to preserve local ecosystems. r.World Founder and CEO Michael Martin shared these thoughts on Alaska Airlines' press release:

"We’re excited to team up with Alaska Airlines to take reuse to new heights on National Reuse Day. Together we’re showing that reuse is an easy way to eliminate single-use waste on flights. Alaska Airlines is leading efforts to bring sustainable innovations to their fleet and overall travel industry.”
 

Alaska Airlines Managing Director of Sustainability Ryan Spies has also stated how the October 20 experiment can help make a difference in how the airline manages waste:

"This feasibility study will help us better understand additional ways we can cut onboard waste. While we are only running a limited test at this point, we hope to gain valuable lessons and learnings that we can bring forward.”
 

Alaska's History of Going Green

Alaska Airlines has also documented several ways in which the company made environmentally friendly changes over the years to improve sustainability and protect the environment:

• In 2018, Alaska became the first U.S. airline to prohibit plastic straws and stir sticks during flights.
• In 2021, plastic water bottles on Alaska flights were replaced with Boxed Water, featuring cartons made of 92% plant-based materials.
• In January 2023, Alaska became the first airline in the world to offer a beverage service entirely free of plastic. The airline swapped out plastic cups with paper cups, whereas first-class passengers have been served with glassware. The airline notes that this move "eliminates 55 million plastic cups annually".
• In conjunction with the Surfrider Foundation, Alaska conducted a series of beach cleanups throughout 2023 along the West Coast in addition to Hawaii.
• Also in 2023, Alaska introduced the option to pre-order meals to passengers, leading to a 61% reduction in food waste compared to 2019, saving more than 450,000 meals from being thrown away.

Every year, Alaska Airlines releases a "Sustainability Report" to document the company's efforts in environmental preservation and social impact. In 2023, the airline has discarded 52 metric tons of waste, down from 73 metric tons in 2021. The airline has also been open to innovative ideas from employees, such as repurposing old electronics as ballast to keep cargo freighters balanced.