The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has banned an advertisement for the world’s first transatlantic flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), stating that it was misleading. The radio ad, which promoted the transatlantic flight, was deemed misleading due to its unqualified claim of being “100% sustainable aviation fuel.”
According to the ASA, future Virgin Atlantic advertisements referencing SAF must include information explaining the environmental impact of the fuel. This decision affects airlines’ ability to promote a key aspect of their emissions reduction goals.
The ad, first aired in November, announced the flight’s use of 100% SAF, made from a combination of sugar from industrial cornstarch and animal fats unsuitable for human consumption. The ad stated, “On the 28th of November, Virgin Atlantic’s Flight 100 will take to the skies on our unique flight mission from London Heathrow to JFK to become the world’s first commercial airline to fly transatlantic on 100% sustainable aviation fuel. When they said it was too difficult, we said: ‘challenge accepted.’ Virgin Atlantic Flight 100. See the world differently.” However, the ad did not specify that the fuel used was only 100% sustainable, leading some listeners to believe that there were no negative environmental impacts at all.
Virgin Atlantic confirmed to the ASA that sustainable aviation fuel produces the same level of CO2 emissions during flight as traditional jet fuel. While the production cycle of SAF is less carbon-intensive than regular aviation fuel, the emissions created during flight are still significant. Additionally, the production of SAF can have wider environmental costs and trade-offs.
Miles Lockwood, the ASA’s director of complaints and investigations, stated that it is crucial for claims on sustainable aviation fuel to accurately reflect its environmental impact, so consumers are not misled into thinking that the flight they are taking is greener than it truly is. He also warned businesses against using statements like “100% sustainable” or “sustainable” when advertising products and services, stating that they must be able to provide robust evidence to support these claims.
In response to the ASA’s ruling, a spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. They also stated that sustainable aviation fuel is a crucial aspect of their plan to decarbonize long-haul aviation and that it adheres to specific sustainability criteria. While they are disappointed with the ruling, they remain committed to open, accurate, and transparent engagement on the challenge of decarbonization.
