LATAM Airlines Group S.A, a leading airline group in Latin America, will be speeding up its sustainability commitments by eliminating all single-use plastics in its operations by 2023.
LATAM has already been executing programs to achieve its goals from June 1st, 2023. For example, all international flights and premium business guests will receive reusable bags with slumber items as a substitute for single-use plastic bags. In addition, the travel kits for travelers have also been changed to include bamboo toothbrushes and Kraft paper wrappings.
The subsequent task would be to replace cups, cutleries, and tableware in the economy cabin with reusable or recyclable materials. This will eliminate over 1,000 tonnes of single-use plastics in the short term. This volume is equal to 36,000 units of 500ml plastic bottles.
Additionally, its cargo operations have executed five projects to reduce plastic use by 60%. One such example is replacing the plastic used for wrapping loads with reusable blankets.
LATAM conducts a ‘Recycle Your Trip’ on domestic flights
LATAM also performs a ‘Recycle Your Trip’ on domestic flights in countries like Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. The project also includes separating recyclable items used on-flight.
All the projects mentioned above are part of the group’s sustainability goals.
Besides eradicating single-use plastics by 2023, the group is also working towards achieving zero waste in landfills by 2027, neutralizing 50% of its domestic emissions by 2030, and accomplishing carbon neutrality by 2050.
Vice President of Customers at LATAM Airlines Group, Paulo Miranda, said that the proposed goals had challenged us to rethink their onboard service’s design, materiality, and protocols. The company is aware that this is a gradual process, where they still have a lot to learn. Still, it would continue to work towards implementing concrete changes that allow them to generate a more significant impact for the benefit of its communities and ecosystems.
