Major airline announces plant-based update to in-flight menu options: 'Part of our commitment to our customers is to offer the best in-flight experience'

U.S. airline JetBlue has made oat milk available on its flights for passengers as an option in lieu of dairy milk for coffee and tea, Vegconomist reported. This is a great way for the airline to offer more vegan options to its customers.

JetBlue has added Lakeland Dairies' Oat in a Stick packets to its food and beverage repertoire, which already includes many vegan snacks such as plantain chips, a Mediterranean snack box, or Mediterranean salads without feta, depending on the flight, as per Vegconomist.

Though it may seem like a small and simple addition, including vegan options can go a long way, especially when considering the significant amount of waste and pollution the airline industry is responsible for.

A report from Thrust Carbon stated that airplane meals "contribute to approximately 4.7 million tonnes of CO2e each year, which is equivalent to driving to the moon 111,000 times." Adding on to that, the cost of untouched food and beverage waste from the airline industry is estimated to be around $4 billion annually, as per Simple Flying.

Big companies such as JetBlue that are committing to making changes, whether it is as simple as offering oat milk products or as big as investing in sustainable jet fuel, have a real hand in creating positive change for the environment and human health alike.

The airline industry isn't alone in taking steps to make changes. Other big-name companies, such as PepsiCo and Ikea, are looking to electrify transport across the world.

JetBlue's news release about its inclusion of oat milk stated that the decision "further diversifies our beverage portfolio to suit wider customer dietary preferences."

Additionally, LATAM Airlines has partnered with a food tech company called NotCo to offer plant-based sandwiches. "We know that the plant-based industry has gained ground among consumers around the world, and at LATAM, we like to be at the forefront; part of our commitment to our customers is to offer the best in-flight experience," senior experience manager Alex Wegner said.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

Cool Picks

How the Expedia of solar panels helps homeowners save money and avoid a common trap: 'Giving you confidence in the systems'

How much could you save with the Inflation Reduction Act? This interactive tool will tell you

You can soon get the hottest new cooking appliance for free — courtesy of the government

This simple bag lets you make money by recycling your old stuff — here's how it works and where to get one