The Climate Claims Airlines Can No Longer Talk About in Europe
Photo Credit: A file image of aircraft at Frankfurt Airport, Germany. Frankfurt Airport
Skift Take
The EU's crackdown exposes how widespread aviation green claims have become.
EU regulators told 21 airlines last month that they can no longer use certain words or phrases about climate change and emissions during booking processes or on their websites. Their issue: They are misleading and could be considered greenwashing.
A Skift audit of the 21 airlines' websites and booking process reveals variations in how carriers are responding.
The airlines involved include big players Lufthansa, Ryanair, EasyJet and Air France-KLM.
Words airlines can no longer use to suggest flying is not harmful include: "green," "sustainable," "responsible," "neutralized," and "offset."
They also can’t say emissions will be reduced by making contributions to climate offset projects or using alternative fuels. Claims that an airline is moving towards net-zero emissions without clear or verifiable commitments are also banned.
The EU argues the technol
