Air France-KLM Gives Unused Airline Comfort Kits a Second Life Through Community-Focused Sustainability Initiative

Air France-KLM is breathing new life into unused onboard comfort kits through a groundbreaking sustainability initiative that’s turning waste into meaningful change. By collecting amenity kits left behind on flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town, the airline group is repurposing these items to support South African schools and communities.

Each day, kits containing eye masks, toothbrushes, lip balm, creams, and travel pouches are recovered from aircraft cabins. Rather than sending these items to landfills, Air France-KLM has launched a community-driven reuse program that’s both creative and compassionate.

Here’s how the airline is making an impact:

• Eye Masks: The elastic bands are repurposed into colourful scrunchies, which are donated to schoolgirls. The masks themselves are being trialled as material for reusable sanitary pads, contributing to menstrual health and dignity.
• Toothbrushes & Toothpaste: These essentials are distributed to learners in township schools, encouraging healthy hygiene habits from a young age.
• Lip Balm & Face Creams: These items help children protect their skin during the dry winter months and are handed out at schools.
• Air France Pouches: Sleek and stylish, these kits are filled with stationery and transformed into pencil cases for learners.
• KLM Business Class Pouches: Known for their durability, these are being refashioned into reusable shopping totes, promoting eco-conscious living.

“At Air France-KLM, sustainability is not just a goal — it’s a mindset that influences every part of our operation. This initiative is a great example of what we call ‘wealth from waste’ — turning simple, often discarded items into something practical, valuable and empowering for local communities.”

says Wilson Tauro, Country Manager Southern Africa at Air France-KLM

This initiative underscores Air France-KLM’s broader commitment to the circular economy — reusing and repurposing materials to reduce waste and improve lives. It not only keeps excess items out of the waste stream but also delivers tangible value to the very communities the airline connects with daily.

By transforming what was once overlooked into tools for empowerment, Air France-KLM is proving that sustainability doesn’t have to stay in the sky — it can land where it’s needed most.