Lawsuit Against Delta Raises a Bigger Question: How Airlines Use Carbon Offsets

A judge rejected Delta Air Lines’ bid to dismiss a lawsuit over its prior advertising claims of carbon neutrality, adding fresh scrutiny on how airlines promote efforts to reach net zero. The class action lawsuit, first brought in 2023, argues that Delta’s claims regarding carbon neutrality were false and misleading, putting it in violation of California’s advertising statutes. One video cited in the suit documents stated that “Delta has committed to becoming the world’s first carbon neutral airline on a global basis.” The video ran along with other advertising claims, including that it had been “Carbon Neutral Since March 2020.” The plaintiffs argue that Delta knowingly relied on carbon offsets that didn’t represent true emissions reductions, and that the airline’s claims led people to buy Delta flights when they wouldn’t have otherwise done so. Delta moved to dismiss the case, arguing the claims were preempted by th