Being sustainable is difficult and more-so for an airline. Though it hasn’t stopped Bangkok Airways, an airline that is striving to becoming carbon-neutral.
Having received a five-star rating from the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating (Star) programme in September, the airline has reinforced its commitment to sustainability. The highest level in the Star programme, the airline is in line with TAT’s Sustainable Tourism Goals (STGs) such as improving access to an efficiency of clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction through an aircraft fuel efficiency project.
This means that Bangkok Airways is doing what it can to reduce the environmental impact in its business operations by using aviation fuel efficiently, thereby minimising carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. But that’s not all.
The airline upcycled old staff uniforms into new products, which were turned to aprons for their lounge agents and cloth bags. This endeavour aligns with the airline’s “Fly Net Zero 2050” campaign, a roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This simple recycling and upcycling has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 1.46kg, equivalent to driving 5.63km. The airline has also saved 48.22 litres of water and saved energy of 8.7kw per hour. In order to expand green spaces, the airline has sponsored the planting of trees through the “Love Earth, Save Earth” project.
Under the “Community Of Love" project, the airline invests in communities by creating learning opportunities, reintegrating people with disabilities into the workforce, generating employment and bringing smiles to the community. It recently partnered with Raya Heritage for a charity dinner that benefitted Food For Good project, under the Yuvabhadhana Foundation. The project is dedicated to promoting nutrition necessary for the growth of children in Thailand's remote areas.
Almost all rubbish bins are segregated these days, but at Bangkok Airways’ lounges in Suvarnabhumi International and Domestic Airport, there are drop boxes. The Drop Box project encourage passengers to deposit used plastic water bottles and recyclable materials, which will be integrated into a waste management programme. Thus making passengers active participants in the sustainability journey, and who doesn’t love doing good?
“To continue our ‘Waste Segregation For Wonderful Benefits’ project, Bangkok Airways will set up waste-sorting bins inside the boutique passenger lounges, domestic and international, at Suvarnabhumi Airport, and will implement the same practice at other airports under Bangkok Airways later, to collect more recyclable materials and reduce unrecyclable wastes. This will further reinforce our commitment to reducing environmental impact from our operations, as well as to the world’s leading airlines’ commitment to achieving 2050 Net Zero Carbon Emissions,” said Ariya Prasarttong-Osoth, corporate social responsibility chairperson.
The airline’s pursuit of sustainability continues beyond the skies. It has collaborated with the Circular Industry Co Ltd and empowers passengers who travel with the airline to contribute, creating a more sustainable journey for everyone involved.
