Is This the End for Airline Greenwashing? Meet the CEO Who Thinks He Has the Answer

Air France, Lufthansa, and Etihad Airways each have something in common. The answer? They’ve all fallen foul of the advertising regulator for making claims about their environmental prowess. 

Last year, this troublesome trio was judged by the U.K’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to have given consumers “a misleading impression.” Much of this centered on sustainability-linked statements that could not be fully substantiated.

For example, Lufthansa’s online ad highlighted “Fly more sustainably” in reference to its “green fares” that it claimed to reduce CO2 emissions by 20%. But the ASA said the German firm had failed to clarify how passengers could actually fly more sustainably. 

The regulator also found that the French flag carrier’s use of “Air France is committed to protecting the environment” and “travel better and sustainably” was misleading. Meanwhile, UAE-based Etihad was called out for including the phrases “total peace of mind” and “environmental advocacy” in its Google advertisements.

Most airlines are keen to give the impression that they’re progressing towards eco goals, not least an industry-wide promise to be net-zero by 2050. Consumers also increasingly aware