Airline food waste: no-meal option, AI to identify uneaten items trialled to reduce the amount that end up in the trash
- Japan Airlines is inviting travellers to opt out of meals before they fly, while Cathay Pacific has been donating unused meal items to food banks in Hong Kong
- Etihad and Emirates airlines are using AI and image recognition to identify the food items that are least popular on flights, and adjusting what they offer
Have you ever skipped an in-flight meal – perhaps due to a lack of appetite or because you slept through the service?
In doing so, you may have contributed to food wastage – which is as much a problem in the air as it is on the ground. According to figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airlines generated 6.1 million tonnes of cabin waste globally in 2018, around 20 per cent to 30 per cent of which comprised of unconsumed food and drink.
This largely boils down to the fact that it is difficult to predict the dining behaviour of passengers. Also, to ensure that meal preferences are satisfied, many airlines load more food than is required onto fights. Furthermore, when there is a lengthy flight delay, perishable meals typically have to be discarded and replaced with fresh ones.
Japan Airlines is one of several airlines trying to tackle the problem. In November, JAL launched its “Ethical Choice Meal Skip” option, which allows passengers to opt out of meals ahead of their flight.
Travellers simply modify their booking on the airline’s website or on the phone before departure; those who do so are given a JAL-branded amenity kit, containing items such as a toothbrush and an eye mask, as a thank you. The programme is being trialled on the five-and-a-half-hour JL34 flight, which leaves Bangkok at 10.05pm, bound for Tokyo Haneda.
