Within the developed world, airlines have responded to the advice of advocates for corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) to use the intertwined dimensions of economics, society and environment to guide their business activities. However, disingenuously, the advocates and regulators frequently pay insufficient attention to the economics which are critical to airlines sustainability and profits. This omission pushes airlines into the unprofitable domain of CSERplus.

The author identifies alleged market inefficiencies and failures, examines CSERplus impacts on...