Private jet use has increased in Europe by 30% compared to before the pandemic. At Brussels Airport in Zaventem, private jet use has seen an uptake of almost 40%.
Business executives, CEOs, and celebrities are most likely to board private jets, which happens more frequently, according to the European Business Aviation Association. The number of private jets in Europe rose to 180,000 on a monthly basis, a 30% uptake compared to pre-pandemic times.
London is the most popular destination for private jets, with no less than 12,000 private flights in July. The figures doubled for Naples, while Amsterdam and Berlin saw the largest increases. Brussels Zaventem airport is an increasingly popular destination for the wealthy, with the number of private jets rising by 40%, a figure well above the European average.
After Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, demand for airline tickets rose quickly. At the same time, staff shortages at airports have led to chaos at many European airports this summer.
Skipping the crowds
With greater demand for private jets and a sharp rise in the cost of kerosene, fares have soared. A flight from Paris (France) to Mykonos (Greece) now costs €25,000, almost double the price a year ago. Yet steep costs are not an obstacle for many travellers.
However, the uptake has resulted in a backlash in France after it was recently revealed that the transport and media company Bolloré Group had operated three private flights on the same day. It was discovered that the private jet emitted 22 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of what a passenger in a car would emit over ten years.
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French Transport Minister Clément Beaune had discussed measures to combat the use of private jets, such as companies owning private jets being required to disclose their flights, or banning flights if train alternatives exist.
Additionally, Beaune wants to explore if the Emissions Trading System (ETS) of the EU can be extended to private jets, which would mean that the owners would be required to pay for emission rights.
Greens in both France and Belgium are calling for extra taxes on private jets. Private jets are currently exempt from taxes as they do not fall under the European ETS and kerosene is tax-free.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told Le Parisien this weekend that she no longer dared exclude such a tax on private planes from additional taxes on excess profits. However, she prefers other measures for now.
