Given that many of you in the U.S. will be travelling this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, the article in the url below covers the progress airlines are making on reducing the environmental impact of their core product. It details a one-off plane trip from Chicago to LA, operated by United, designed to demonstrate the range of new policies and practices the company is exploring to achieve carbon neutral plane flights. The airline has previously committed to reduce its emissions "by more than 50% by 2050," and this flight was designed to demonstrate its progress to date:
"The meals were served on compostable or recyclable plates; hot beverages were served in recyclable paper cups, an industry first, according to the airline. The cutlery was compostable. In first class, passengers' meals were covered with a beeswax wrap instead of the usual plastic and there was no plastic ring around the napkin."
A reduction in waste was the first of four areas of operations that United was using the flight to demonstrate. The other three areas were:
- Fuel: "The Boeing 737-900 flight, with 161 passengers, was powered not just by traditional jet fuel; 30% was biofuel made from agricultural waste."
- Efficiency: "Pilots used single-engine taxi procedures instead of using both engines to reduce fuel burn on the runway."
- Offsets: "The airline purchased carbon offsets to cover the remaining portion of flight where it didn't achieve zero emissions."
Although this was only a one-off flight, United reported zero waste from the flight, with the exception of waste generated separately by the customers:
"The goal: zero cabin waste instead of the average 65 pounds of garbage taken off a United flight. (They got it down to 14 pounds, all of it passenger garbage.)"
What I find interesting about the experiment, however, are the customer reactions. The article reports a limited sampling, but all the comments are either superficial or negative:
"Annika Bjorklund, 17, … and her father, Steve, were on Flight 310 but didn't know the special events were planned. 'I think it's a really cool thing,' she said. Steve Bjorklund praised the airline's sustainability efforts but said they wouldn't dictate his choice of airline. 'I'm a United flyer,' he said. 'I'm going to fly United anyway.' Joanne DeTrana watched the festivities somewhat skeptically from the B11 gate area. … 'I believe in sustainability but I think sometimes you can carry it to the Nth degree,' she said. 'To me, that's not a big marketing sell.' DeTrana said it wouldn't factor into her ticket buying decisions. 'Price and comfort top that list, she said."
In other words, United goes to all that effort and its passengers merely shrug their shoulders. This still may be useful for the firm if it motivates its employees but, in order for United to continue these efforts, a key stakeholder group needs to demonstrate that it wants and appreciates them. Otherwise, what is the point?
Take care
David
David Chandler
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Biofuel, beeswax wraps and recyclable coffee cups: United debuts 'eco-friendly flight'
By Dawn Gilbertson
June 6, 2019
USA Today
