Globally, there is a growing demand for a greener aviation industry, and Indonesia is no exception. The country has set a target of zero emissions by 2060 and its aviation industry has therefore taken many initiatives to reduce its environmental impact and, step by step, become more sustainable.

Indonesian airlines are making more frequent claims about their green efforts. The information is easily found on their websites, social media platforms and news ads, seemingly in line with consumer protection.

However, passengers and the public at large may doubt the reliability of such information and the genuineness of the efforts, fearing it is just “greenwashing”. But what is the dividing line between genuine environmental efforts and greenwashing in aviation?

Greenwashing refers to a misleading practice in communication profiles that results in an unclear and incorrect representation of the actual environmental benefits of a product, service or company itself.

There is a growing awareness of greenwashing and lawsuits against airlines for their deceptive advertising are gaining momentum on a global scale.

Last March, for example, Dutch flag carrier KLM was condemned by the District Court of Amsterdam for violating European Union consumer law for its unfair advertising practices. Airlines operating in the United States and Australia have faced similar greenwashing lawsuits.