Exciting News! We Made The Shortlist - MNH/Linstol is an Onboard Hospitality Awards 2025 Finalist!
From nearly 200 entries, votes were whittled down to decide which products in each category will be analysed in person by their expert judging panel.
Winners will be announced online in late March – and celebrated at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo in Hamburg on 8th April.
Our Best Sustainability Onboard Entry (in collaboration with Plastic Bank), Virgin Atlantic's New Business and Economy Class Headsets incorporating Social Plastic (collected and recycled plastic waste) is one of five entries that made it onto the Awards Shortlist.
Through its partnership with Plastic Bank, it is intercepting ocean-bound plastic by directly supporting plastic waste collectors, recycling it and transforming it into sustainable onboard headsets.
Over the next year, Virgin Atlantic will utilise an estimated 11,240kgs of Social Plastic in its headset production; equal to preventing 562,000 plastic bottles reaching our oceans.
As pioneers of headset refurbishment programmes, MNH ensures that each returned headset undergoes a 100% audio test, pad replacement and cord untangling, before being repacked in plastic-free materials. This ensures high-quality, pristine products are reintegrated into the supply chain, significantly reducing e-waste and the need for new stock.
Refurbishment extends the lifespan and diverts all waste from landfill at the end of life, whilst enhancing the passenger experience with a premium quality headset. The partnership has helped remove the onboard single-use plastic bag with the introduction of a recyclable, paper wrap securing the headset. This doubles up as a charity envelope to encourage donations.
All headsets are robust enough to hold up under multiple refurbishment cycles, reducing unnecessary new stock. They are fully compliant with mandatory UK/EU safety regulations such as RoHS to protect both the airline and passengers. Refurbishment reduces waste, cuts the need for new stock and minimises carbon footprints, supporting both the EU’s sustainable resource efficiency goals and the UN’s SDG12. By using plastic-free and recyclable packaging, the companies are reducing single-use plastics, aligning with GRI306 on waste management.
Through the performance management platform, ROTIX®, MNH/Linstol optimises usage, reduces leakage and enhances refurbishment longevity. And while a reduced unit price may look tempting, if the headsets aren’t durable, it leads to higher costs in the long-term due to quality issues and increased stock levels.
MNH/Linstol has supported Virgin Atlantic’s sustainability targets for over 25 years; this new rotable headset, incorporating Social Plastic, is the perfect mix of sound and environmental performance.
Website created by