LATAM Airlines Group (LA) is set to close in 2023 with a significant milestone sustainability goal, reducing the use of single-use plastics across the airline’s operations in South America by nearly 77%.

LATAM’s sustainability program

In 2021, South America’s largest airline by fleet size embarked on a sustainability program for the next three decades. The first goal of this project was to ditch single-use plastics by 2023, followed by stopping landfill waste by 2027 and becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

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Roberto Alvo, LATAM’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said that humanity is facing a critical moment in its history, with a severe climate crisis and a pandemic. “Therefore, we are assuming a commitment that seeks to contribute to the conservation of ecosystems and the well-being of the people of South America,” he added.

In 2022, the company has already achieved a 77% reduction in single-use plastics. The airline said in a statement this achievement was possible thanks to the replacement of cups, cutlery, and trays with bamboo fiber cutlery, reusable trays, kraft paper packaging, and poly paper cups in the economy cabin of international flights. With this measure alone, LATAM was able to eliminate more than 1,200 tons of single-use plastic.

LATAM's Business eco kit
Photo: LATAM Airlines Group.

In the premium cabin, LATAM has adopted reusable bags to hold the resting elements, along with new, more sustainable amenity kits for passengers, which offer a bamboo fiber toothbrush with sugar cane packaging, kraft paper packaging for earplugs and socks, and recycled plastic eye patches, pictured above.

More changes to come?

Earlier this year, Paulo Miranda, Vice President of Customers at LATAM, said that these proposed goals have challenged the company to rethink its onboard service's design, materiality, and protocols.

“We are aware that this is a gradual process, where we still have a lot to learn. Still, we will continue working to implement substantial changes that allow us to generate a greater impact for the benefit of our communities and ecosystem.”

In addition to the onboard service, LATAM has partnered with several initiatives. For example, through its collaboration with Eureciclo, LATAM carried out the environmental compensation of 92 tons of waste generated by the company on flights that originated or landed in 12 Brazilian airports that lack selective collection services. LATAM said that this volume of waste compensated would be capable of filling almost two Boeing 767 cargo aircraft.

In 2022, the airline managed to reuse about 30 tons of used uniforms in Brazil through upcycling partnerships and income generation for the sewists.

Finally, earlier this month, LATAM signed a new carbon agreement that would allow the company to capture up to 11.3 million tons of CO2 in a 575,000-hectare property. The airline expects to reduce and offset 50% of its domestic emissions by 2030. The partnership with the Cataruben Foundation aims to conserve and restore the floodable savannah and forests in South America, particularly in the Colombian Orinoquía region.

What do you think about LATAM’s sustainability efforts? Let us know in the comments below.

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