Lufthansa passengers can either opt for the use of sustainable aviation fuels, which are currently produced from biogenic residues. CO2 emissions are thereby directly reduced. Another option is CO2 compensation via high-quality carbon offset projects of the non-profit organization myclimate in Germany and other countries around the world. These projects promote measurable climate protection by saving CO2 and improving the quality of life and biodiversity on site. The third option is a combination of both options.
When booking a flight, customers now have the option of choosing one of the offers directly and selecting the desired option immediately. Payment is made together with the flight ticket. This makes CO2-neutral flying much easier for customers.
In the course of the second quarter of 2022, the service will also be available on the booking portals of the Lufthansa Group airlines Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and SWISS. In a further step, the booking of the different options will become even more attractive by collecting additional status and award miles.
«We are investing more than ever in the quality and sustainability of our offerings. We are already the largest purchaser of sustainable aviation fuels in Europe. In addition, we offer the most comprehensive range of CO2-neutral flights. From now on, we have integrated this more visibly into the booking process. We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to save CO2. Because people don't just want to fly and discover the world - they also want to protect it. This offer makes an important contribution to this. I am convinced that this will inspire more and more passengers to travel sustainably,» says Christina Foerster, Executive Vice President Customer, IT & Corporate Responsibility at the Lufthansa Group.
So far, less than one percent of passengers have taken advantage of Lufthansa's long-standing option for CO2-neutral flying. The new offer, which will also be available in the future when booking flights on mobile devices, is part of a product offensive of the Lufthansa Group for sustainable flying: In the next few years, the airline group wants to offer its customers significantly more options for sustainable travel. The basis for the new service is the digital solution «Compensaid,» which was developed by the Lufthansa Innovation Hub in 2019.
With a clear strategy into a sustainable future
The Lufthansa Group assumes its responsibility for effective climate protection - with a clearly defined path toward CO2 neutrality: By 2030, the company's own net CO2 emissions are to be halved compared with 2019, and by 2050 the Lufthansa Group wants to achieve a neutral CO2 balance. To this end, the company relies in particular on accelerated fleet modernization, the continuous optimization of flight operations, the use of sustainable aviation fuels, and innovative offers to make air travel and freight transport CO2-neutral. Since 2019, the Lufthansa Group itself has been offsetting the CO2 emissions of its employees' business-related air travel through myclimate carbon offset projects.