Image: Hi Fly
Portuguese wet-lease carrier Hi Fly is testing out passenger-carrying flights without single-use plastic items commonly used for service including food packaging, cutlery, blankets and toothbrushes. So far, the company has run a total of 16 trial flights. Four of the flights were operated entirely without single-use plastic items and 12 with “significant plastic reduction.” Hi Fly says its goal is for all of its flights to be single-use plastic-free by the end of 2019.
“Our target of being plastic free by the end of the year seemed ambitious to many in our industry, but by believing in our project and working hard to make it happen, we can see that it is entirely achievable and our focus now will be to commit to our deadline,” said Hi Fly President Paulo Mirpuri. “We are delighted that the test flights went so well.”
A total of 4400 passengers were onboard for the trial flights and approximately 3300 pounds (1500 kg) of plastic were saved. According to Hi Fly, single-use plastic items were replaced by compostable plant-based catering disposables, paper, card, pla and cpla bioplastics, bamboo, chinaware, glass and stainless steel. The company says food waste and packaging from the flights were collected and taken to a licensed waste management operator to be processed for energy production.
