Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Airline Food Waste and Excessive Packaging

Posted by Adam Kuban, March 2, 2008 at 10:00 AM

I had just "powered off" my "electronic device" for landing on a recent flight and was placing my tray table "in the upright position" while glancing around anxiously for a cabin attendant to relieve me of my soda can and little plastic cup. When she came around with a trash bag, I offered the cup, but she asked for the can as well, placing everything in the same bag. I guess they don't recycle, I thought. What's up with that?!?

Salon's "Ask the Pilot" column (one of my favorite features on that site) tackles the issue in its latest installment.

Flights are often short and cabin service needs to be quick, but it would not take elaborate efforts to throw cans into one bag and plastic cups into another.... Would it not be a good idea to offer passengers the option of receiving a cup? I am often handed a small container of juice and a cup, even though it would be perfectly acceptable to drink directly from the container. On longer flights with multiple beverage services, cups are collected and thrown away each time, instead of allowing passengers to reuse the first one.

The pilot also brings up good points about the volume of packaging associated with airline food and notes that Virgin Atlantic is has the "most comprehensive and impressive" in-flight recycling program among airlines.

Excuse me while I have an Andy Rooney moment, but, you know, I actually don't remember the last time I had an airline meal (probably the last time I flew international), but I don't know why the airlines just don't scrap the in-flight meal service altogether and pass along the savings to customers. Despite the numerous attempts at having name chefs prepare airline meal menus, the food is still miserable, and the snacks always blow (I find pretzels dry and bland), so I end up packing my own sandwich and treats for the ride.

As someone far wiser than I has pointed out somewhere before (probably Salon's pilot, Patrick Smith), flying has long since ceased to be the glamorous mode of travel it once was, and for the majority of travelers, a plane is little more than a flying bus. Greyhound doesn't give me a warm cookie and a choice of beverages, so why do we expect it when we leave ground?

Photograph: ©iStockphoto.com/sharply_done

Post a Comment Favorite this!  (0)

Tags: airlines, environment, food packaging, recycling, Serious Green, travel