{"id":161961,"date":"2026-10-25T13:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T07:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=161961"},"modified":"2026-10-25T02:03:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-24T20:33:47","slug":"german-court-ruling-pushes-lufthansa-to-rename-controversial-green-fares","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/25\/german-court-ruling-pushes-lufthansa-to-rename-controversial-green-fares\/","title":{"rendered":"German Court Ruling Pushes Lufthansa to Rename Its Controversial Green Fares"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

COLOGNE-<\/strong> Lufthansa (LH)<\/a> has replaced its controversial \u201cGreen Fares\u201d<\/strong> with a new product called \u201cImpact Fares\u201d after a German court ruled that the airline\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lufthansa
Photo: Lufthansa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Court Challenges Lufthansa Green Fares<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lufthansa marketed Green Fares as an option that made flying at least CO\u2082-neutral, if not climate-neutral. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fare included a contribution towards sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)<\/a> and climate protection projects intended to offset the environmental impact associated with passengers\u2019 journeys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s decision and considering the implications for its environmental advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One concern involved the limited contribution of sustainable aviation fuel to the overall emissions associated with long-haul travel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lufthansa
Photo: Lufthansa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Impact Fares Replace Green Fares<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lufthansa has now retired the Green Fares name and introduced Impact Fares, changing how it describes the environmental contribution associated with the booking option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The revised wording places greater emphasis on supporting sustainability measures rather than promising that a particular journey will have no climate impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the new description, passengers who choose an Impact Fare support the additional use of SAF across the Lufthansa Group\u2019s route network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also contribute to selected climate protection projects outside the company\u2019s value chain, which may aim to avoid or remove CO\u2082<\/strong> depending on the individual project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Lufthansa spokesperson said the new name placed greater emphasis on customers\u2019 contributions to sustainability in aviation and reflected updated regulatory requirements for environmental communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lufthansa
Photo: Lufthansa City<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Previous Greenwashing Controversies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled against a Lufthansa advertisement featuring the slogan \u201cConnecting the world. Protecting its future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regulator considered that consumers could interpret the slogan as a claim that Lufthansa\u2019s approach to aviation was protecting the planet\u2019s future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lufthansa argued that the wording expressed its broader mission rather than making a specific environmental promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Austrian Airlines, another member of the Lufthansa Group, also faced legal action over claims involving climate-neutral flying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 <\/a>flagged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest change highlights the growing scrutiny airlines face when promoting environmental initiatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lufthansa New Green Fares: Achieving the 200,000 Guests in Just 100 Days<\/a><\/blockquote>