A Dutch court has ruled that a KLM advert is misleading, with the airline group’s claims of moving towards “a more sustainable future” therefore unlawful.
Reclame Fossielvrij (Advertising Fossil Free) first announced its intention to take legal action against the campaign in 2022, with KLM responding that the group should not be allowed to pursue the case in January 2023. However, in June, Fossil Free were granted permission to continue with the case. The eventual verdict decreed that 15 of KLM’s 19 statements were unlawful, including what the pressure group described as painting “too rosy a picture of alternative fuels (SAF) and reforestation”.
In a statement, KLM explained that it has “already taken important steps” and has “not used the 19 communications that were central to this case for some time now”. “It is good that the court gives us more clarity about what is possible and how we can continue to communicate transparently and honestly about our approach and activities,” added KLM, concluding: “We are studying the ruling and will return to it substantively at a later date”.
In December 2023, the UK Advertising Standards Authority upheld a similar claim against Air France-KLM, ruling that an online ad highlighting possibilities to “travel better and sustainably” gave consumers “a misleading impression of the impact that travelling with Air France would have on the environment”.
Dutch court rules KLM advertisement misleading
