The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned Etihad Airways’ sustainable aviation ad campaign, stating that it is misleading to consumers regarding the airline’s sustainability credentials.
The ads claimed that flying with Etihad was a “conscious choice for the planet” and promoted a “louder, bolder approach to sustainable aviation.”
The ASA found that the ad text exaggerated the environmental benefits of flying and that no initiatives currently exist within the aviation industry to adequately substantiate an absolute green claim like “sustainable aviation.”
The ASA said: “We concluded, therefore, that the claim exaggerated the impact that flying with Etihad would have on the environment.”
Etihad is not the first airline to be penalized by the ASA for misleading advertising, as Lufthansa’s ad campaign was recently banned for a similarly misleading message.
Speaking about the ban, an Etihad spokesperson said: “Etihad Airways is disappointed by ASA’s decision in relation to its advertising on Facebook in October 2022. Sustainability is a key priority for Etihad, which runs a comprehensive research and development programme to address aviation decarbonisation, working to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment by investing billions into its fleet of modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, research into sustainable aviation fuels, as well as carbon offsetting and reforestation through the Etihad Mangroves.
Etihad is proud to have been awarded Environmental Airline of the Year for 2022 in the Airline Excellence Awards, in recognition of the steps it has already taken. The airline will continue to take bold and innovative steps including partnering with aircraft and engine manufacturers, sustainable fuel suppliers, academia and innovators to make flying more sustainable than it would be without such steps.”
