The Cologne Regional Court has prohibited Lufthansa from continuing to use certain advertising claims regarding carbon offsetting for flights. The court found the advertising to be misleading. The lawsuit against the airline was filed by the German Environmental Aid (DUH). The ruling (case number 84 O 29/24 of March 21, 2025) is not yet final.
At the center of the proceedings were advertising statements on Lufthansa's website. The company had advertised that CO₂ emissions could be offset by contributions to climate protection projects. It stated that all projects would either save CO₂ or capture it from the atmosphere in the long term. However, the court found that there was no concrete explanation of how the emissions from a booked flight were actually offset. Furthermore, consumers were given the impression that they could fly climate-neutrally by paying a sum of money – which, according to the court, was demonstrably untrue.
The court also deemed Lufthansa's statements regarding sustainable fuels misleading. According to the ruling, the airline is prohibited from using this form of advertising in the future. German Environmental Aid welcomed the decision as an important victory in the fight against consumer deception. Federal Executive Director Jürgen Resch described the ruling as one of the "clearest and most important" against so-called greenwashing.
Lufthansa was reserved about the court's decision. In a brief statement, the company stated that it acknowledged the ruling and would carefully review it. The airline initially left open any decision regarding further legal action, such as an appeal.
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