Dutch court rules 15 of 19 KLM 'Fly Responsibly' claims misleading
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
An Amsterdam court found 15 of 19 statements in KLM's 'Fly Responsibly' campaign misleading in March 2024, but imposed no penalty. The ruling bears on sustainable aviation fuel claims, since IATA put SAF at 0.6% of jet fuel in 2025.
- KLM — Ran the 'Fly Responsibly' campaign; no penalty followed the 2024 ruling Al Jazeera
- SAF suppliers — Profit margins widened, according to IATA IATA
What happened
On 20 March 2024 an Amsterdam court found 15 of 19 statements in KLM's 'Fly Responsibly' campaign misleading, said calling sustainable aviation fuel 'sustainable' was too absolute, and imposed no penalty (Al Jazeera).
IATA reported that SAF made up 0.3% of jet fuel in 2024 and 0.6% in 2025, and that airlines paid 2.9 billion dollars more for it in 2025 (IATA).
Transport & Environment estimated that about 80% of used cooking oil imported into the EU in 2022 may have been palm oil labelled as waste (no link in the sources reviewed).
The EU's ReFuelEU rules raise the SAF share from 2% in 2025 to 70% in 2050 (Bluebiz).
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2024-03-20Claimant wonKLM 'Fly Responsibly' advertising rulingAmsterdam court · Civil · Not named in sources reviewed → KLM
The Amsterdam court found 15 of 19 statements misleading and said calling SAF 'sustainable' was too absolute; no penalty was imposed. Al Jazeera
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: IATA's 0.8% SAF share for 2026 is a forecast, not a measured figure.
- None on record Gap: the sources reviewed do not say whether KLM appealed the ruling.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Dutch court finds airline guilty of greenwashingAl Jazeera · 2024-03-20
- IATA: SAF share of jet fuel and airline costs (2025 release)IATA · 2025-12-09
Connected cases
- Used cooking oil and POME biofuel certification fraud (ISCC, EU/UK) European Union · 2016–2025
- Transport & Environment (NGO) — here: Estimate of palm oil in imported used cooking oil; there: NGO; estimated about 80% of 2022 EU UCO imports suspect
- International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) (Standard-setter) — here: Certifier that cancelled some certificates; there: Certification scheme recognised by the EU
- Hess agreed to buy at least US$750 million of Guyana forest credits Guyana · 2011–2032
- International Air Transport Association (Industry body) — here: Source of SAF share and cost figures; there: Reported that CORSIA-eligible supply came from Guyana