Alaska Airlines today announced its #FillBeforeYouFly initiative to partner with guests and employees to continue reducing the use of single-use plastics inflight. The aim: rally with flyers to bring their own water bottle and fill it before they board. This is one of many in Alaska Airlines' sustainability efforts to reduce inflight waste per passenger going to landfills by 70% by 2020.

“We’re passionate about working with our guests, employees, airports, and partners to reduce waste, protect habitats, and improve water health,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines' vice president of external relations.“Land, water, and animals are incredibly special parts of the places we live and fly – and it takes many different company and individual actions together to protect them for the long term. This is just one step. If just 10% of our guests bring their own pre-filled water bottle when they fly and choose reusables, it could save more than 700,000 plastic water bottles and 4 million plastic cups per year. That’s a big lift.”

Plastic bottles are among the top five most common items found in beach cleanups around the world, and according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by 2025, the ocean is expected to contain one metric ton of plastic for every three metric tons of fish.

Alaska Airlines is partnering with environmental leadersLonely Whale, MiiR and Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), and with Sea-Tac International Airport, a partner in sustainability from new building construction to daily operations. 

The airline will plant a tree for every passenger who brings a pre-filled water bottle onto their flight and posts a photo to social media tagging @AlaskaAir with the hashtag #FillBeforeYouFly. Alaska guests can help BEF achieve their goal of planting 1 million trees on the West Coast to improve the environment and restore habitats for local fish and wildlife.

Read more: #FillBeforeYouFly: Why Alaska is urging guests to bring their own water bottles

In 2018, Alaska Airlines became the first airline to replace single-use plastic stir straws and citrus picks with sustainable alternatives as part of its #StrawlessSkies initiative, in partnership with Lonely Whale. Through #FillBeforeYouFly, Alaska Airlines is aligning with the Lonely Whale #HydrateLike campaign, popular on social media channels and inspiring individuals and companies alike to rethink reliance on single-use plastic bottles.

From the millions of gallons of fuel saved to the tiny plastic straws that were removed last year, Alaska Airlines has a long track record of flying greener. Since it started auditing its recycling efforts in 2010, Alaska has reduced per-passenger waste going to landfills by 65%, essentially cutting waste in half. In the last nine years, flight attendants captured over 15,000 tons of recyclable materials, about the same weight as 320 Boeing 737-900ERs. Alaska Airlines also recently replaced bottled beer with aluminum cans, which are lighter and easier to recycle.

“We know this is a resource intensive business with many stakeholders involved in the journey,” said Birkett Rakow. “While we’ve made progress, there’s a long road ahead of us. We’re working with supply chain partners and employees to come up with solutions to reduce waste, adopt sustainable practices and eliminate single-use plastics inflight. Change takes time; we value the collective impact our customers and employees can make today.”

For Alaska Airlines’ 2018 sustainability report, visitwww.flysustainably.com.

Support from our partners:

Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF)

"The rivers and streams that fuel the West Coast are polluted, but planting trees in the right places can help reduce pollution and restore a healthy habitat," said Bonneville Environmental Foundation Chief Development Officer Val Fishman. "Alaska Airlines is setting an industry standard with their commitment to supporting water quality programs. They are serving an important role driving awareness about widespread water issues among customers, while also helping to put actual trees in the ground to ensure the cool, clean water needed for habitats to thrive." 

Lonely Whale

 “We are proud to partner with Alaska Airlines, a leader that is acknowledging the dangers that plastic poses and taking initiative to change flyer behavior,” said Dune Ives, CEO of Lonely Whale. “Lonely Whale only works with brands that are authentic sustainability leaders. Alaska was the first airline willing to disrupt the way we think about plastic consumption, particularly when we are in the sky, and we’re proud to share that you can #HydrateLike Alaska Airlines and #FillBeforeYouFly.”

MiiR

“Single use plastics are choking our streams and oceans and endangering our precious salmon and orca,” said Bryan Pape, CEO and Founder of MiiR. “We’re proud to take a stand alongside another great Northwest-born brand to help reduce single-use plastic and reduce harm to our beautiful planet.”

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

“Programs like this one make it easier for passengers, employees, and businesses to lessen their environmental impact at our airport,” said Peter Steinbrueck, Port of Seattle Commissioner. “Passengers and businesses at the airport help Sea-Tac Airport keep 41% of its terminal waste from landfills by sorting into recycling or compost bins. Our goal is to keep 60% of terminal waste from landfills.”