EU Cracks Down on Airlines for Misleading Greenwashing Practices

The European Commission announced this week that it would be taking action against 20 airlines for misleading greenwashing practices.

In this direction, the Commission, the European Consumer Organization (BEUC), and consumer authorities sent letters to 20 airlines highlighting several misleading ‘green’ claims.

Airlines under investigation for potential greenwashing practices include Air France, KLM, Swiss, and Lufthansa. The 20 airlines receiving the letters are urged to harmonize their practices with EU consumer law within 30 days. If they fail to take the necessary steps to solve concerns raised, consumer authorities may decide to take further action which includes sanctions.

According to BEUC Director General Monique Goyens, the move demonstrates a “wind of change” around greenwashing in the aviation industry. “It is great news that authorities from across Europe acknowledge consumers have been fooled by airlines’ greenwashing. It is unacceptable that airlines have freely lured consumers into offsetting their flight’s emissions, sometimes at a high price. One can never be sure that the trees planted to compensate a flight’s high emissions will capture the carbon back into the ground – if they are planted at all,” she said.

EU authorities said the practices identified in the letter may be considered misleading actions or omissions prohibited under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive.

‘Green’ claims cited included assertions that paying an additional fee to support the use of alternative aviation fuels can reduce or fully counterbalance CO2 emissions; using the term “sustainable aviation fuels” without clearly justifying the environmental impact of such fuels; using the terms “green”, “sustainable” or “responsible” in an absolute way or use other implicit green claims; presenting consumers with a “calculator” for the CO2 emissions of a specific flight without providing sufficient scientific proof on whether such calculation is reliable or accurate; presenting consumers with a comparison of flights regarding their CO2 emissions, without providing sufficient and accurate information on the elements the comparison is based on.

Once the Commission receives airline replies, it will arrange meetings with consumer authorities and companies to discuss the solutions. It will also monitor the implementation of the agreed-upon changes.