Vivid Travel is to introduce a plastic levy on flight sales as it urges the travel industry to “get drastic on plastic”.
Founder Kane Pirie believes Vivid’s customers will support the levy and says although it is a “small step”, it could help “nudge” airlines to improve their procedures.
Writing in this week’s Travel Weekly, Pirie warns that if the industry does not address the issue it will be a “collective failure”.
Pirie, former Travel Republic chief executive, said from 2019 luxury specialist Vivid would ask customers to pay a plastic levy if booking any airline that does not use biodegradable or recycled plastic. Proceeds will go to an environmental charity.
Referring to the threat of plastic on tourism, Pirie warned: “Who will want to lie on a rubbish‑strewn beach next to a lifeless toxic ‘soup’? It’s time to get drastic on plastic.”
Plastic pollution has become a cause célèbre following the BBC’s recent Blue Planet II series.
Prime minister Theresa May has vowed to eradicate avoidable use of plastic in the UK by 2042, a pledge Pirie described as “pathetic”.
Nikki White, Abta director of destinations and sustainability, said it was important the industry took a long-term approach to sustainability.
“Sustainability has become a mainstream issue for travel businesses. It’s important that the travel industry takes an ongoing long term approach on this and builds the right initiatives.
“The amount of plastics companies use – along with wider environmental issues and the impact travel has on the local community, are important issues on travel companies’ agendas.
“Abta is working with members to help raise and address these issues.
“As part of Abta’s Travelife initiative, the 1,400 hotels involved in the scheme look at how they can minimise the packaging they use, and we know members are also looking at specific actions they can take on plastics, for example, many companies have replaced using plastic water bottles with reusable bottles.
“Abta works closely with members to develop their sustainability strategy as part of the Better Places programme, whilst also lobbying destination authorities to ensure services and national infrastructures for issues such as waste management, are in place.”
Jane Ashton, director of sustainable development at Tui Group, said tackling plastic used by airlines was “a complicated area due to EU regulations”.
She said: “We’re committed to being as sustainable as possible. When it comes to plastic on board our aircraft it’s a complicated area due to EU regulations around international catering waste.
“However, we’re conducting a full internal review looking at any opportunities to both improve our environmental credentials and reduce the use of plastics.”
Airline body Bar UK said carriers were improving environmental performance but opposed the use of levies to increase recycling.
A spokesman said: “The airline industry continues to improve its environmental performance, taking into account complex factors such as the successful weight reduction on aircraft that has reduced emissions.
“Airlines do not support an independent or local application of a consumer levy as an effective means to increase recycling of plastics across the global aviation supply chain.
“Instead we would urge proactive engagement with those best placed to effect further change.”