Will these cups replace Air NZ’s 9m single-use coffee cups?

Air New Zealand is hoping to replace more than 9m single-use cups from its flights with reusable ones. It trialled an option for its water and hot beverage service on six domestic flights on Tuesday and Wednesday. Stuff Travel was on board two of the flights to see the prototype black plastic cups, larger than the current single-use cups at 330ml, handed out for the water. For hot drinks, the same cup but with a heatproof rubber surround so it’s not so hot on your hands. Inflight service manager Victoria Clark asked passengers over the loudspeaker for a show of hands, who would support a move to reusable cups. About 80% of the near-full NZ405 Auckland to Wellington flight raised their hands. In a text message sent to passengers a day before their flight, people were encouraged to bring their own reusable cup. On flight NZ405 on Wednesday morning about 20 people had followed that advice, but there were only four people on flight NZ412 from Wellington to Auckland. The flight was less full but almost all of them raised their hand in support of the initiative.<br/>