An advert for Wizz Air has been banned for misleading consumers with the claim that it was “one of the greenest choices in air travel”. The Google ad, seen on June 9, stated: “Fly Wizz Air – one of the greenest choices in air travel.” Defending the ad, Wizz Air told the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that it had committed “billions of euros” to aiding the airline industry’s decarbonisation efforts while operating the “youngest and most carbon-efficient fleet in Europe”. As a result, the airline said it had the lowest carbon emissions per passenger. The company also explained that it was replacing its fleet of Airbus A320ceo aircraft with the Airbus A321neo, with a reduction in fuel consumption of 10% and a per-seat fuel improvement of 20%. It said it has invested in the research and development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and established an independent Sustainability and Culture Committee, whose job included ensuring the airline’s statements on sustainability adhered to legislation. The ASA said consumers would understand the claim “one of the greenest choices in air travel” to mean that Wizz Air’s environmental impact was among the lowest of all the airlines operating flights to and from the UK. It said: “While we acknowledged that Wizz Air had based the claim on the type of aircraft they used, and the carbon emissions per passenger measured in CO2/RPK, that was not stated in the ad. “Furthermore, the ad had not included information that would allow consumers to understand the comparison. Because the ad had not made clear the basis of the claim, or provided verifying information, we concluded it had breached the Code.”<br/>
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Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee is joining a Turkish-led investigation into the Yakovlev Superjet 100 fire at Antalya on 24 November. There were no fatalities among the 89 passengers and six crew members after the Azimuth Airlines jet (RA-89085) experienced a hard landing, according to the carrier. Images from the scene indicate the fire broke out in the vicinity of the left-hand PowerJet SaM146 engine. The Interstate Aviation Committee says the aircraft was damaged, although the nature and extent have yet to be clarified. Photographs of the Superjet, however, suggest the left engine was knocked out of alignment during the event. Turkish authority UEIM is heading the probe into the Antalya event. The Interstate Aviation Committee has appointed a representative and advisers to participate.<br/>Investigators have yet to disclose whether the accident shares any similarities with the fatal Aeroflot Superjet 100 fire at Moscow Sheremetyevo in May 2019. The Aeroflot aircraft bounced heavily as it touched down, damaging its main landing-gear and fuel tanks, resulting in a fuel spill which then ignited. The inquiry has yet to release a final report into the accident. Russia’s intellectual property database shows that, earlier this year, Yakovlev filed a patent for a landing-gear design intended to lower the risk of fuel-tank damage during abnormal landings.<br/>