From pilot flight to standard practice: Hi Fly celebrates 7 years of plastic-free operations

Dubai: Portuguese charter specialist Hi Fly has marked the seventh anniversary of the aviation industry’s first single-use plastic-free commercial flight, a milestone that has since seen the carrier remove tonnes of waste from its global operations.

The anniversary was commemorated this month with a long-haul flight between Lisbon and Recife, Brazil, conducted entirely without disposable plastic items. The carrier, which frequently operates charter services through major hubs including Dubai and London, first trialled the concept in December 2018 before implementing a fleet-wide ban on 1 January 2020.

According to data released by the airline, the transition to sustainable alternatives, including bamboo cutlery, compostable packaging, and recycled materials, removes approximately 100kg of plastic from a single long-haul flight.

The initiative began as a pilot programme to test whether environmental targets could be met within the rigorous logistical constraints of international aviation. Following the success of the initial 2018 flight, the company moved to permanently overhaul its cabin service equipment across its entire fleet.

"This anniversary demonstrates that what began as an industry-first initiative has become an established operational reality," the company said in a statement.

While many international carriers have faced criticism for the slow pace of cabin waste reduction, Hi Fly has maintained a strict prohibition on single-use plastics across its fleet of widebody aircraft for over five years. The carrier’s operations often involve complex missions, including humanitarian relief and specialist flights to Antarctica, where waste management is a primary environmental concern.

The airline noted that it continues to work with industry partners to refine its waste-reduction strategies, focusing on the broader goal of mitigating the environmental impact of long-haul travel. Seven years on from the Lisbon-based carrier’s first trial, the company remains focused on integrating these responsible practices into daily operations rather than treating them as one-off marketing exercises.