Former Air France pilot Anthony Viaux labels private jet travel by celebrities and executives to the Cannes Film Festival as ‘obscene,’ particularly during the global fuel shortage fueled by the Middle East conflict.
Analysis from environmental group Transport & Environment shows 750 private jets carried A-listers to the event last year. This matches the fuel use of 14,000 passengers on flights from Paris to Athens, states Jerome du Boucher, the group’s head of aviation.
Pilots Urge Stars to Fly Economy or Use Trains
Former private jet pilot Katie Thompson calls on celebrities to follow Narcos actor Pedro Pascal’s lead. Pascal flew economy to Cannes last year. ‘There’s no reason the rest of them can’t do the same, or take the train where possible,’ she says.
Viaux and fellow pilots push European governments to ban private jets. Du Boucher argues, ‘In a context of climate crisis and oil shock, it seems absolutely obvious that this kerosene should be reserved for more essential uses at a time when we’re facing fuel shortages.’
EU Carbon Tax Exemptions Favor the Wealthy
Current EU regulations exempt two-thirds of private jets from carbon taxes, influenced by concerns over backlash from the Trump administration if the Emissions Trading Scheme expands. Everyday airline passengers in the bloc pay these taxes, while the super-rich avoid them.
Investor Julia Davies, co-founder of Patriotic Millionaires UK, declares, ‘Private jets are a luxury only the very wealthiest few can afford, yet most of these flights are still not subject to fuel or carbon taxes — taxes the majority of people pay every day as they travel to work.’
Fuel Rationing Grips Nations Worldwide
Nations implement fuel rationing as Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz stretches into its fourth month following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran. France reports over 500 canceled flights, while Germany faces disruptions for up to 20 million passengers this summer.
Du Boucher sees the crisis as ‘an opportunity to put the question of private jet use on the table.’ Group data reveals that commercial flights to Cannes could cover 40% of the festival’s 2030 CO2 reduction target.
Veteran pilot Viaux urges EU leaders to eliminate loopholes, applying carbon taxes to all private jets and non-EU international flights, free from Trump administration pressures.
