I find myself conflicted when it comes to amenity kits on airplanes…they serve an important purpose but are objectively quite wasteful in many cases. As airlines give lip service to environmental concern, amenity kits represent the greatest tension between sustainability and practicality.
I Do Love Airline Amenity Kits
There’s something special about an airline-branded amenity kits that seems to be part and parcel of the premium cabin experience. Just like Champagne and caviar are so closely linked to first class, so are amenity kits linked to the forward cabin on airlines around the world.
Over the years, I’ve collected hundreds of amenity kits and love that they come in all different shapes and sizes, with some being much more practical than others. Where I can, I repurpose amenity kit cases. My current toiletry bag is a Delta Tumi-branded case and we keep our passports in a British Airways case. The kids keep their colored pencils and crayons in various amenity kits and I also keep my foreign currency reserves in various amenity bags.
In terms of their content, I don’t ever use eye masks or ear plugs, but I appreciate the toothbrushes, which I rotate every few weeks. It is always nice to have an airline-branded pen as well.
I find the amenity kits from Emirates the most practical, particularly because they include a quality razor and a large but still travel-size container of shaving cream.
Some first class amenity kits, partcarly on Asian carriers, still include perfumes or cologne…I don’t use that. But I do appreciate the La Prairie products that are in SWISS First Class amenity kits (and used to be in Lufthasna ones). Over a three-year period in 2017-2020 I gathered enough skin creme to last me through the pandemic (and this is screen cream that costs hundreds of dollars per tube, so it wasn’t cheap stuff).
But Airlines Amenity Kits Are Wasteful
While I love airline amenity kits, I find their very concept quite wasteful. All of us (typically) travel with a toiletry bag already with essential products in it. Sure, it is nice to avoid having to access that in-flight, but all the products inside the amenity kit are products we already have.
Walk off any flight in business class and you will generally see dozens of opened amenity kits left behind. Most of the time, those kits are just thrown away. It is so wasteful.
Not only do the bags and the plastic that encases them create waste, but using a toothbrush once and then leaving it behind is so wasteful. Same with an eyeshade or socks or earplugs.
How I Approach Airlines Amenity Kits
I used to hoard amenity kits. Quite honestly, I sill hoard them…though I have added very few to my “collection” over the last few years.
I keep telling myself I want to take all the amenity kits that I have (except for the Rimowa-branded ones) and donate them to charity, but I’ve been saying that for years and by now the skin products are likely expired in dozens if not hundreds of the kits sitting in a waterproof box in my attic.
These days, I mostly leave amenity kits behind…but I break the seal on them and spread out the contents on my tray table to photograph for my trip reports. I fly United most of all and have stopped opening the United ones altogether, instead just leaving them sealed in my seat after I fly.
> Read More: Help! I’m An Airline Packrat…
Is The Singapore Airlines Approach Best?
Singapore Airlines offered an amenity kit with limited content and then offers items like razors and toothbrushes and mouthwash in the lavatory. Qatar and Lufthasna do this too, to an extent.
This strikes me as a better balance and makes people more likely to take only what they need.
Qatar Airways, for example, has rather excellent toothbrushes in its business class lavatories, not the flimsy ones intended for one or two uses only. When I fly Qatar, I always take the toothbrush with me and will use it for 2-3 weeks.
On the other hand, if I get a kit wtih those nasty bamboo toothbrushes that remind me of when the doctor checks my tonsils, I will leave them behind.
Thus, I am in favor of airlines offering amenities on-demand, especially if that results in higher quality items.
CONCLUSION
Amenity kits may be part and parcel of the business and first class experience, but they are quite wasteful in many cases. I’m not advocating for their ban or anything like that, but I do wonder if there is a better way to approach amenities onboard, perhaps as Singapore Airlines does.
I’d have to say they’re mostly wasteful. They make elite flyers like ourselves feel special and acknowledged. But I can’t think of the last time I had a real practical use for anything in them.
20 odd years ago Air Canada offered (fabric) amenity bags on overnight flights but only a help-yourself tray of masks etc on day flights. A fair balance. Today they offer annoying yellow PVC bags that I’m told are thrown out even if unused. True regression. Airlines need to follow the hoteliers example and make an effort to go a bit greener.
@MarkAndrew ,,, Agree , I bring my own stuff , thank you very much .
@Mark … worse than wasteful , they are stupid .
@Mark … Melania Trump would design the correct amenity bag , so the airlines ought to hire her for the job .
When you want something girlish done , one will hire the first lady to do it correctly .
She would definitely make a great gold diggers amenity kit.
She would need to include an STD testing kit for her ‘personal Vietnam’ ‘fight, fight, fight’ ‘warrior’ who claimed bone spurs exemption to get out of being drafted.
I’m often mystified by many aspects of the development of the product that together constitutes “premium cabin” travel (how did caviar and champagne, which I can easily do without for the period of any flight become part of it?), but never more so than the amenity kit. I personally appreciate having a comb, toothbrush, and eyeshade handy, but I never have use for the cremes and cosmetic products, and particularly dismayed when the kit comes in a fancy package that is of no proper use after the flight but which pains me to throw in the garbage. I would gladly take a $10 discount off my fare and give me the eyeshade in a plastic bag rather than a mini-Rowenta suitcase or some such.
@Mak … Agree , many of the food items are poor choices ; a bowl of nuts , and a plate of cheese , for examples .
However , the champagne is at least healthy .
@Al … Yep … the champagne is my choice on SQ … followed closely by Kirin beer on JAL .
The bowl of nuts and plate of cheese is garbage .
@Mak … If Melania Trump had designed the amenity bag , you would have taken it home , gift-wrapped it , and given it to your significant other .
Right….that’s just what my ‘significant other’ wants, an amenity kit designed by an Eastern European mail order whore. I’m surprised Trump hasn’t tried that yet, but he’s preoccupied with the DJT and Trump Coin grifts. But give he and his whore time, they aren’t in jail yet.
Do you think there was an amenity kit in her box when she arrived?
Almost everything is this world is wasteful. In theory flying is “wasteful”, flying for business is wasteful with Zoom available in 99% of cases as 2020 showed. Flying for personal pleasure is wasteful, even if enjoyable, it’s not really needed.
Buying a new IPhone each time one is released is wasteful, eating out instead of cooking at home is wasteful. It all comes down to personal choice, as it should. It’s our right as Americans to be wasteful and show it off at every turn to others less fortunate than ourselves. And let’s face it, we ENJOY doing it.
Why single out his one item?
Only people with low self esteem think that flaunting a goodie bag is a smart thing to do.
@Dave … You present a convincing case that everything is wasteful .
I beg to differ : Melania Trump would design something you would hold and treasure .
If you don’t understand the stupidity of your question I am truly at a loss for words.
So happy there’s a place like Florida and Texas for people like you….you deserve it.
As someone who rarely travels in biz, I look forward to getting one.
@Rob … I look forward to a bottle of champagne with Melania Trump as my seatmate .
We could get out a folding ping-pong table and play a few games .
Now THAT would be an amenity kit…
It depends. For example, the new ones from Delta that are supposed to be environmentally friendly and other BS is useless. A little cloth pouch that has no use since it is flimsy and cannot be zipped. Now, the older ones from Tumi were awesome since they were made of ballistic nylon, were bigger and sturdy. I still use them for storing passports and other important things when I travel. I still have a bunch of the Rimowa ones from Lufthansa and they are my favorite for storing cables and other stuff.
This self-flagellation over some sort of imposed guilt for not living like a prehistoric villager has to stop. Are airport lounges wasteful? Is your car wasteful? Perhaps that house you live in, that’s wasteful too. Do you see how absurd this is? No, amenity kits are just that: an amenity. A thoughtful gift from the carrier to welcome you. People like you need to get your head straight, you’ve been poisoned by negative influences for far too long. And, btw, those ‘negative influences’ (such as professors) have not an issue in the world with their own wasteful things, if they obtain pleasure in them. It’s YOUR wasteful things that are [not] destroying the planet.
Think about it.
Preach
Halleluya! Someone has the head sitting well on the shoulders.
Thank you!
Every single word!
To be clear, I don’t care about the supposed environmental waste, and I spend no time thinking about the fact that the cost of the amenity could feel poor blind kids in Africa. My issue is much more practical and economic: I don’t care about these fancy leather or “mini-luggage” packages, or most of the cosmetics inside them, but I know that the airline spends a lot of money on them and that it makes premium fares that much more expensive. For me personally, I would also happily give up the champagne and caviar (which is now rare anyway) for cheaper fares.
Many things in premium cabins exist not for comfort, but because they are an aspirational and luxurious “treat” for business travelers flying on somebody else’s dime. I think the amenity kit falls into this category.
@Mark: So what? Do you really think that if the airlines cut the amenity kit they will really pass that cost reduction to lower your ticket price? Seriously? Look at Apple. They do not add a charger to their phones anymore and say that is for environmental reasons and they still increased the price of their phones.
I don’t know for sure but I don’t think most airlines spend that much on these. The co branded names must chip in or pay for them all.
Perhaps if airlines gave a decent container and then allowed you to put in it what you want it would be a better way forward. I almost always resuse the container if it’s decent – some from Qatar, Singapore and of course the various Rimowa ones are years old and in good use. I only ever take moisturiser, ear plugs, wipes and a toothbrush, anything else goes in the bin as I unpack.
Economy class passengers would gladly take yours. Walk back there and give yours away.
Most of the items are useless and not really usable, though that’s not always the case. I still use a foldable comb/brush from an EK kit I received on MXP-DXB last year, and the pouches themselves are great for storing plugs, adaptors, and other items when traveling. The issue is the content. If there are usable items (toothbrush and toothpaste always a plus, hand cream, etc…) helpful. Are they wasteful? Maybe. Depends on what’s inside and what can be re-used. The AWAY kits United features in Polaris long haul are useless and bulky. American’s pouches, and the AF neoprene ones are durable and good to use after a flight.
Yes, foldable combs are really cool and can be used for years- and mini shoehorns too!
The bags can be really useful, some of them are rather cute too, hardsided Rimowa amenity bags being the obvious choice for perfumes in checked in luggage whereas the colourful nylon ones from TAP have a bit of flex and are ideal for cables and adaptors. A small flat square case by Ferragamo for Avianca is ideal for a few basic medicines for the carry on, and I have got a bigger one for more meds in the suitcase, which is made of black leatherette and I got back in ’15 when TK had a sponsorship deal around the Batman v Superman movie. What I haven’t had in the last 4-5 years is shoe bags, which again are very nice to have as it’s only high end shoemakers that supply them with shoes.
One can always give them out to friends and family for similar uses, my mum loves the TAP one with the Rome theme.
Never open mine, would rather have better food or wine.
I asked a Lufthansa FA if I could keep my used set of cutlery as a souvenir and she simply handed a clean set in packaging, which was super cool. I use it to this day and have fond memories whenever my daughter uses the spoon in her cup.
Matt hints at what would be best in an amenity kit such as for a passport case. Perhaps a branded phone charger? Make it sort of like a “happy meal” where a different, useful thing from a gift shop.
OMG great idea- @jamesHarper and I am being serious. Like we can do pre-order meals we should be able to opt out of amenity kits or order what we want in ours.
Or have a set up in the bathroom with amenity containers and drawers with toothbrush/toothpaste, eye-masks, lotion, hand sanitizer, ear plugs, perfume, etc so people can stock their own kits. I can see where this might be abused by people taking six perfumes or whatever though.
Or have a cart they roll down after drinks service asking each person if they want a container, or just products and which products. It would be so much better and they’d save a ton of money bc most FF only want the bag itself if its their first time flying that class/airline and some like just the lotion and ear plugs (me) and don’t need the comb or eye mask.
There are a ton of ideas that can fix this and would not take a lot of effort by airlines and what effort it takes would likely be offset by the cost savings and waste reduction on unnecessary products having to be thrown out each flight.
+100
I was just packing up 4 empty kits with Lufthansa Ducks for the great nieces and nephews I save the socks for future travel and use the lotions.
I use one kit was AA now Qatar soft sided kit for holding my earbuds and power cords. Reduce and reuse 😉
BTW. I still use an AA iPad holder amenity kit. I’m on third one over the years. Have a new Black one when current pouch fails. Super bag!
Most of the time I just leave untouched. Occasionally, I take one for specific items like eye masks.
I wouldn’t miss them. I would miss the Diptyque lotion on QR, and I’ll often wear the socks in-flight, but otherwise, completely unnecessary to me. The SQ approach is the correct approach.
I suppose they’re wasteful if you don’t use them or donate them to a charity or shelter.
Singapore does seem to have system that is less wasteful. Maybe other airlines can copy their system.
Or do what United does and recycle/donate their unused amenity kits and items themselves to a charity.
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/company/global-citizenship/ecoSkies/cleanTheWorld.html
@Aaron … Melania Trump’s new memoir will help you learn about correct charitable giving .
There is the Aaron way , and then there is the Melania way .
@Aaron … In fact , I am so interested in Melania’s opinions about charitable giving , I may pre-order her memoir .
I liked the amenity kits as a child– a “free” toothbrush and paste is an exciting gift when you’re 8 years old.
As an adult, I don’t understand the kits– who is going on transatlantic trip without a toothbrush anyway?
The kits are definitely wasteful in that they provide unrequested and often even undesired products to people that get thrown away unused… but… taking a bunch of business class flights on trips around the world and worrying about the waste of the amenity kits is likely missing the bigger picture of your personal consumption. And if you only address the amenity kits, you’re addressing an insignificant minority of your consumption.
Toothbrushes should not be used forever. 3-4 months is a good time to change it so road warriors may get too many toothbrushes but most people do not. The Road warriors can give it to relatives or even someone on the plane.
Is this the environmental hill to die on? Of course the planet would be better off without anything thrown away.
Airlines are in business to make money and any “environmental” initiatives they follow are for show to make them seem like they care. Airlines are huge polluters always will be. Should we travel to Timbuktu for the weekend? No that is wasteful. But we do and airlines more than encourage that. Leave the poor amenity kits alone.
I sell the Rimowa ones for ≈$60 each
IDK man the thing about using a toothbrush from an airplane bathroom probably been sitting there for how many flights just seems gross to me lol let alone using it for the next three weeks
I’d be fine if they just came down the aisle and offered them to folks who wanted one. 99% of the time I don’t need it, and it just gets tossed or left behind. Once or twice I’ve forgotten something like a toothbrush and I actually made use of the kit, so having the option to opt-in would be nice.
Think about the stuff you threw away years ago and if you could only have one or two of them now for the collector shows. keep some extra for trading value at the 2040 amenity collection.
Think about the stuff you threw away years ago and if you could only have one or two of them now for the collector shows. keep some extra for trading value at the 2040 amenity collection.
The Hawaii amenity kits contents are designed in Hawaii but the cosmetics are made in China. The Colgate toothpaste is made in Taiwan. The same for the mist and hand cream (a different company) in the Business class restrooms. I have not seen the transcon kits.
I wish they would include feminine products.
Welcome Mr Walz!
I am intrigued by the new Delta amenity kit. The old ones from Tumi were great and very useful. The last one was total DEI garbage.
https://news.delta.com/delta-one-feature-italian-luxury-brand-missoni
@Santastico … all DEI is stupid .
Agree but Delta went too far. They brought this piece of crap fabric bag made by some poor community in the middle of nowhere in Mexico with a pen made out of cardboard, a wooden toothbrush and some other garbage. Seriously, they were all left in the seats after flights, nobody bothered to take those with them. Absolutely useless.
@Santastico … Delta ought to have hired Melania Trump to design their amenity kit . She would have done it correctly .
Look at the link I shared above with their brand new one. Italian brand, looks classy.
Only stupid to a certain kind of people.
They weren’t DEI garbage unless you mean DEI for them traditionally privileged. They were a product of traditional cost-cutting measures with a flash of green-washing and such.
I don’t remember the last time I opened one.
Amenity kits are great souvenirs. They can replace buying souvenirs at the destination, which are often useless. The pouch is also useful.
Delete this thread.
Why should I?
And watch your language.
My guess is that he sells amenity kits to airlines…
I use the old grey and green United amenity kit bags for holding my medicine and cables in my laptop bag. Now I give most of them away unopened to some group that helps homeless.
Swiss have replaced LaPrairie one and half year ago, now it is Soeder.
What tension? If you won’t need your amenity kit don’t take it with you or hand it back to a flight attendant so it can be reused. What a non-issue to proselytise about.
Amenity Kits play an important role in elevating the experience because they are something to look forward to. It’s not the main course but the dessert. Wouldn’t we all rather look forward to having something at our seat that may or may not turn out to be nice than not having something to look at or open.
Amenity kits are useful if the bag or box is high enough quality. I used to use the This Is Ground leather or fake leather amenity kit for my travel stuff. Now I use the KLM blue zipper bag which was done well. For such a small amount of money, airlines build up their good will by offering them to passengers.
Amenity Kits are only a problem for professional travel bloggers or business people. I only fly internationally 1-2 times a year so I look forward to Amenity Kits. I use my Delta slippers to check the mail or wait for grubhub outside.
They make great gifts for everyone back home.
Wasteful!
I have always considered amenity kits to be extremely wasteful. When my kids were little, I would bring the kits home to entertain the girls for a few minutes. Now, I am likely to just leave it on the seat or toss it in the trash. I would much prefer to have a menu of amenities that are available in my cabin. If I need toothpaste, lip balm, an eye mask, or a shoe horn (really?), I can ask the flight attendant, but 99% of the time I already have everything I need in my carry on. If you are sitting in Biz or First, then you are presumably a frequent traveler, and you should know how to pack for a trip. From a quick google search, it seems airlines spend $5-$30 on these bags full of junk, so let’s say $20. How about they reduce the fare by $10 and give the other $10 in savings to the stockholders?