American Airlines Cargo has reported significant progress in its sustainability efforts following its continued partnership with BioNatur Plastics, a supplier of biodegradable plastic products used in cargo operations.
Since the partnership began in 2022, the airline has steadily reduced its reliance on traditional plastics. In 2024 alone, American replaced more than 274,000 lbs. of conventional plastic with BioNatur products, preventing the equivalent of 12.6 million plastic water bottles from becoming long-term waste—nearly doubling the impact of the first year.
BioNatur Plastics provides biodegradable and 100% recyclable plastic alternatives that function like traditional plastics but break down in a landfill environment within 8 to 12 years instead of degrading into microplastics.
Currently, American Airlines Cargo uses BioNatur plastic across most U.S. hubs, smaller domestic stations, and Latin American operations, with plans to expand its use further. The airline employs these eco-friendly materials for pallet covers, heavy-duty sheeting, stretch wrap, bottom sheeting, and plastic covers, all essential for building Unit Loading Devices (ULDs).
Greg Schwendinger, president of American Airlines Cargo, highlighted the positive impact:
“We have a strong and successful partnership with BioNatur Plastics, and I’m pleased to see how much our efforts to migrate more of our operational plastic use to their biodegradable products is helping us reduce our long-term waste and overall footprint.”
Chris Paladino, president of BioNatur Plastics, praised American’s leadership in sustainability:
“To see the progress over just three years shows how implementing sustainable practices can truly make a difference. American continues to be a leader in sustainability, and we are proud to support their cargo team as they more than doubled their impact in 2024. We look forward to an even bigger 2025.”
By integrating sustainable materials into its global cargo operations, American Airlines Cargo is setting a new industry standard for eco-conscious air freight solutions.