COLOGNE- Lufthansa (LH) has replaced its controversial “Green Fares” with a new product called “Impact Fares” after a German court ruled that the airline’s environmental claims could mislead passengers. The decision challenged the suggestion that travellers could make their flights climate-neutral by paying for additional sustainable aviation fuel and climate protection projects.
The German flag carrier introduced Green Fares in 2023, offering passengers a way to contribute towards reducing the environmental impact of air travel. However, a court ruling in March 2025 questioned whether the airline could substantiate its claims about emissions and climate neutrality, prompting Lufthansa to revise its marketing approach after the judgment became legally binding.
Court Challenges Lufthansa Green Fares
Lufthansa marketed Green Fares as an option that made flying at least CO₂-neutral, if not climate-neutral.
The fare included a contribution towards sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and climate protection projects intended to offset the environmental impact associated with passengers’ journeys.
The court found that Lufthansa could not adequately quantify the emissions generated by an individual flight booking or explain how it calculated the associated climate damage. As a result, the suggestion that customers could make their journeys climate-neutral by purchasing a Green Fare was considered misleading.
The ruling dates to March 2025, but it did not become legally binding immediately. Lufthansa was therefore able to continue promoting the fares while reviewing the court’s decision and considering the implications for its environmental advertising.
One concern involved the limited contribution of sustainable aviation fuel to the overall emissions associated with long-haul travel.
According to the supplied report, SAF accounted for only 10% of the emissions offset on long-haul flights under the previous arrangement, raising questions about the broader climate-neutrality message.
Impact Fares Replace Green Fares
Lufthansa has now retired the Green Fares name and introduced Impact Fares, changing how it describes the environmental contribution associated with the booking option.
The revised wording places greater emphasis on supporting sustainability measures rather than promising that a particular journey will have no climate impact.
Under the new description, passengers who choose an Impact Fare support the additional use of SAF across the Lufthansa Group’s route network.
They also contribute to selected climate protection projects outside the company’s value chain, which may aim to avoid or remove CO₂ depending on the individual project.
A Lufthansa spokesperson said the new name placed greater emphasis on customers’ contributions to sustainability in aviation and reflected updated regulatory requirements for environmental communication.
The change represents a shift in how the airline presents its environmental initiatives. Rather than suggesting that purchasing a particular fare makes an individual flight climate-neutral, Lufthansa now describes the payment as support for measures intended to address emissions.
Previous Greenwashing Controversies
The court dispute adds to earlier criticism of environmental claims made by Lufthansa and other airlines within its group. In March 2023, the United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled against a Lufthansa advertisement featuring the slogan “Connecting the world. Protecting its future.”
The regulator considered that consumers could interpret the slogan as a claim that Lufthansa’s approach to aviation was protecting the planet’s future.
Lufthansa argued that the wording expressed its broader mission rather than making a specific environmental promise.
Austrian Airlines, another member of the Lufthansa Group, also faced legal action over claims involving climate-neutral flying.
Following a 2023 court case, the airline was required to publish a judgment on its global website after making environmental claims linked to the use of 100% sustainable aviation fuel, PYOK flagged.
The latest change highlights the growing scrutiny airlines face when promoting environmental initiatives.
For Lufthansa, replacing Green Fares with Impact Fares changes the language used to describe its sustainability contributions, while the underlying challenge remains demonstrating that environmental claims are accurate, measurable, and clearly explained to passengers.
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