Qantas accused of greenwashing with ‘carbon neutral’ flights

Australian carrier Qantas has been accused of greenwashing after environmental advocacy group Climate Integrity lodged a complaint with the country’s consumer watchdog stating the carrier has misled consumers over the environmental impact of its flights.

The official complaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), lodged on 16 October together with the Environmental Defenders Office, requests an investigation into Qantas’ marketing materials following the landmark greenwashing case against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in March.

The complaint focuses on the carrier’s ‘fly carbon neutral’ product, which allows travellers to purchase carbon credits “that remove, reduce or avoid emissions in the atmosphere”, as well as its promotion of ‘sustainable aviation fuels’. The group also questions the credibility of the carrier’s net zero transition, stating that it lacks “clear targets and credible transition strategies”.

“Qantas is a trusted household name in Australia, and it should not mislead customers and shareholders into thinking Qantas products and services are more sustainable than they really are,” said Climate Integrity director, Claire Snyder. “The ACCC needs to step in to protect consumers and investors as regulators have done in Europe.”

The group claims that Qantas’ marketing materials may breach consumer protection law by “misrepresenting the significant adverse environmental impact of the company, which in 2024 reported that it emitted 17.6 million tonnes of CO2 globally”. It also states that the carrier’s use of terms such as ‘sustainable aviation fuels’ and ‘carbon neutral’ are misleading and do not equate to ‘zero emissions’.

“A Qantas customer choosing the ‘fly carbon neutral’ option for their flight might think that the climate impacts of their trip have been compensated for or significantly reduced,” Snyder said. “But this is not supported by science, and therefore distorts customers’ perception of the sustainability of flying.”

The group added that Qantas has “not disclosed a science-aligned, credible methodology to substantiate alignment with its stated commitment to the Paris Agreement” and that its current emissions reduction measures are “insufficient to achieve its net zero targets”.

“Greenwashing at this scale creates a false sense of progress and undermines the urgent action necessary to reach zero emissions by 2050,” Snyder said. “Qantas has made a commitment to do its fair share to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and it needs to follow through.”

The move is the latest in a series of greenwashing claims against airlines. The European Commission and EU consumer protection authorities in May contacted 20 airlines regarding potentially misleading environmental claims, and EU environmental groups in July also warned 71 airlines operating out of Amsterdam Schiphol of potential greenwashing.

BTN Europe contacted Qantas for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.