Holding airlines accountable

We held major U.S. airlines publicly accountable for their efforts to stop climate action in the European Union.

In July of 2011, United/Continental and American Airlines filed suit against a European Union law that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international flights that land in European airports.

The airlines claimed that the law violates U.S. sovereignty. And John Mica (R-FL), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, even introduced legislation to make it illegal for U.S. airlines to adhere to it.

In fact, even while fighting the EU’s sensible initiative, American claimed in its in-flight magazine that it was “identifying and implementing programs to reduce our environmental impact.” And United/Continental launched an “Eco-Skies” campaign to promote “the environmental commitment of our combined company.”

“We should hold the airlines accountable,” EDF president Fred Krupp said. “If it gets hot enough, they might stand down.”

So EDF came up with its own ad and tried to place it in the in-flight magazines of the litigious airlines. They refused our money. We ran the ad in Politico, the influential Washington daily, and the story of the airlines’ hypocrisy was picked up by a number of media outlets.

Meanwhile, EDF has joined six EU nations to defend the new law. “It’s time to start the real work of reducing the airline industry’s greenhouse gas pollution,” says Pamela Campos, EDF’s lawyer on the case.