Recently, Air New Zealand has come under fire for its domestic in-flight cups, which state “made with plants, not plastic” but are in fact lined with bio-plastic.
This has raised concerns about the cups recyclability and their impact on the environment. Air New Zealand’s chief sustainability officer Kiri Hannifin, addressed the issue, emphasising Air New Zealand’s continued commitment to sustainability and the need for businesses to be cautious with their environmental claims.
Kiri says that Air New Zealand is dedicated to becoming a more sustainable airline and recognises the importance of transparent and accurate environmental messaging.
“We acknowledge that customers using these cups might expect them to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. However, due to limited composting infrastructure in New Zealand that accepts certified compostable packaging, it is not always possible to compost the cups throughout the country.” she says
Although Air New Zealand introduced these cups in 2019 as a step in the right direction, Kiri highlighted that they still meet the airline’s operational requirements while being a better option compared to other single-use alternatives.
She says that the company continues to monitor new product innovations in order to improve sustainability in this area.
“We think being brushed more broadly with the greenwashing claim is unfair. We’ve already committed to reviewing our waste management strategy and will have a team undertaking this work later this year.” says Kiri.
She assures the public that Air New Zealand is committed to reviewing its waste management strategy, which will include a dedicated team working on this matter later in the year.
“Air New Zealand is proud of its sustainability efforts thus far and is committed to furthering its work as a more sustainable airline in the future,”
“Sustainability is a key pillar in Air New Zealand’s overall strategy. The company has already set ambitious goals to decarbonize its operations, including having a science-based target (SBTi) and collaborating with the government to explore the feasibility of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in New Zealand. Additionally, Air New Zealand is actively engaged in global efforts related to green hydrogen, battery electric, or hybrid aircraft.” she says.
During this time, Air New Zealand intends to continue its focus on environmental initiatives, ensuring that it contributes positively to the planet and the communities it serves.
