Fly responsibly? Airlines face a storm over climate claims

When Dutch airline KLM launched adverts urging customers to "fly responsibly" and think about the environmental impact before booking a flight, it said it was showing its commitment to a sustainable future. But the 2019 campaign sparked criticism and last year environmental activists filed a suit accusing the company of "greenwashing", or making misleading environmental claims. The case filed by Fossil Free Netherlands highlights the dilemma facing airlines as they try to boost growth for shareholders but also convince the public they are taking steps to cut carbon emissions. Critics say those messages can't be reconciled, and a growing number of lawsuits, consumer complaints, and rulings from advertising regulators are seeking to restrict what sustainability claims airlines should be allowed to make. "The only way to fly responsibly right now is not to fly," said Hiske Arts, who is leading the campaign by Fossil Free Netherlands. KLM, which is fighting the suit - one of the most prominent among the legal challenges facing airlines, says it intends to be an industry leader in cutting emissions and communicating about sustainability. "We are pulling out all the stops," a spokesperson said. KLM is due to file its first official response at the Amsterdam district court by Sept. 27. That will be followed by a court hearing on Dec. 6. In June, European consumer rights body BEUC lodged a complaint at the European Commission against 17 airlines, alleging they use terms such as "sustainable", "responsible" and "green" deceptively. "The reason we picked airlines is probably because it's one of the most emblematic sectors in terms of greenwashing," said campaign leader Dimitri Vergne. He said technologies for low-emission flights either don't exist or are years away from commercialisation.<br/>