Twenty airlines will have to modify their environmental advertising to avoid deception

The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 has led, together with the authorities of Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway, an initiative of the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC) for 21 airlines to modify their advertising policies. with the aim of avoiding practices such as greenwashing or ecopostureothat is, misleading environmental advertising.

The 21 airlines targeted by this initiative are Air Baltic, Air Dolomiti, Air France, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Easyjet, Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, Luxair, Norwegian, Ryanair, SAS, SWISS, TAP, Transavia France, Transavia CV, Volotea, Vueling and Wizz Air.

All these airlines should clarify that CO2 emissions related to a specific flight cannot be neutralizedoffset or reduced directly by contributions to climate protection projects or by payments for the use of alternative aviation fuels.

Additionally, they must use the term ‘sustainable aviation fuels’ only if they provide proper justificationas well as stating “clearly” that aviation is a highly polluting industry and refraining from using absolutely green terminology or images, or any implied environmental claims.

All such airlines will also be required to clarify claims relating to future environmental performance (e.g. net zero greenhouse gas emissions), including time-bound targets, achievable measures and the types of emissions being addressed.

Finally they must ensure that any CO2 emissions calculations are shown clearly and transparentlyin accordance with EU legislation as well as provide sufficient scientific evidence and information to support any comparison of environmental performance.

It is expected to extend the initiative

This initiative, which in Spain has been led by the General Directorate of Consumer Affairs, seeks to extend this action to all airlines with flights that take off or land within the European Unionand will mean that the Consumer authorities in each country supervise the implementation of these commitments in accordance with the calendar communicated by each airline.

From the Ministry headed by Pablo Bustinduy, it will also be developed and published, in coordination with the European Commission and the CPC Network, guidelines setting out how the EU legislative framework is applied in consumer matters to environmental declarations in the aviation sector.

The goal is “promote transparency and help airlines adapt their commercial practices to current regulations.