Brussels Airlines reprimanded for greenwashing

Twenty airlines, including Brussels Airlines, have been reprimanded by the European Commission for ‘misleading greenwashing claims’. Sanctions will follow if no action is taken.

The European Commission and national consumer authorities reprimand 20 airlines for greenwashing. This happens when a company pretends to be greener than it actually is.

In June 2023, Test-Aankoop and more than 20 other consumer organizations filed a complaint against 17 airlines for ‘misleading greenwashing claims’. This includes Air France, KLM, Ryanair and the Lufthansa group, to which Brussels Airlines belongs.

These companies are said to have misleading environmental claims on their websites. The aviation companies use terms such as ‘green’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘responsible’ with green colors and nature images. These can mislead travelers about the impact of aviation on the environment. The traveler can also pay a surcharge so that CO2 emissions are compensated by financing climate projects or ‘sustainable aviation fuel’. “Whether passengers pay a ‘green fare’ or not, their flight still emits gases that are harmful to the climate,” said Test-Aankoop spokeswoman Laura Clays.

Sanctions will follow if the airlines do not comply with European consumer law within 30 days. To do this, the companies must provide counterevidence to the accusations or remove the greenwashing from their websites and apps.