EU Probes Lufthansa Group Airlines for Greenwashing

Air France, its Dutch subsidiary KLM, Norwegian, SAS, and several airlines within the Lufthansa Group are under scrutiny as part of an investigation by the European Union regarding potential greenwashing, confirmed by the companies on Thursday.

The EU has emphasized the necessity for airlines to substantiate claims regarding their efforts to reduce aircraft CO2 emissions with solid scientific evidence, whether through offsetting projects or the utilization of sustainable fuels.

The airlines within the Lufthansa Group subject to investigation include Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Air Dolomiti, and Eurowings, as disclosed by the group. Similarly, a spokesperson for Air France-KLM acknowledged their involvement in the probe.

Norwegian responded to a Reuters inquiry, stating, "We received the letter, and are now working to familiarize ourselves with the case material and will answer this within the deadline." Nordic carrier SAS also confirmed receiving a letter from EU authorities.

Industry organization Airlines for Europe (A4E) acknowledged the importance of transparent information regarding sustainability but highlighted the significant variation and ongoing evolution of EU regulations across member states.

While the EU has refrained from disclosing the names of other airlines under investigation during the preliminary phase, the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) identified 17 airlines in its complaint, including Air Baltic, Finnair, Ryanair, TAP, and others.