October 24, 2026 — Lufthansa has renamed its “Green Fares” as “Impact Fares” and dropped its promise that flying on them is CO₂-neutral, after a German court found the original claim misleading.
What happened
Lufthansa launched Green Fares in 2023, saying travel on them was “at least CO₂-neutral, if not climate-neutral” through sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and climate projects. A court in Cologne ruled in March 2025 that the climate-neutral claim was untrue and misled passengers. That ruling was not immediately binding, and Lufthansa kept selling the fares while it reviewed it. Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported the change on October 23, 2026; the exact date the new name took effect is TBA.
| Before | Now |
|---|---|
| Green Fares | Impact Fares |
| Promised to offset emissions and make the trip CO₂-neutral | No neutrality promise; the fare supports extra SAF use across the network and climate projects outside Lufthansa’s own operations |
According to the report, SAF covered only about 10% of emissions on long-haul trips, and Lufthansa could not measure the CO₂ produced by any single booking. A spokesperson said the new name puts “even stronger emphasis” on customers’ contribution to sustainability.
This is not the group’s first run-in over environmental marketing: the UK Advertising Standards Authority warned Lufthansa over an ad in 2023, and the same year an Austrian court ordered Austrian Airlines to publish a judgment against it over a “CO₂-neutral” flight claim.
What it means for travelers
Green claims on fares now need to be backed by numbers in Europe. Expect other airlines’ “sustainable” fare products to get similar wording changes.
Sources
- Paddle Your Own Kanoo — Lufthansa Forced to Change the Name of its Controversial ‘Green Fares’ Because They Deceive Passengers
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