A tax on private jets to fund essential services is common sense for both our economy and our environment.
The overwhelming majority of people in Britain want higher taxes on climate wrecking private jets, new polling from More in Common commissioned by the charity Possible reveals.
A whopping 79 per cent of people support the private jet tax while 56 per cent also argue that fuel for private jets should be taxed at a higher rate than petrol or diesel for car drivers.
There is majority support among voters of all the major parties for higher taxes on private jets - including a conclusive nine out of ten Labour Party voters. Only seven per cent of all respondents think private jet fuel should be taxed at its current rate.
Wealthiest
Chris Hinchcliff, Labour MP for North East Herts, said: "Our constituents are clear on what they want: a tax on private jets to fund essential services is common sense for both our economy and our environment.
"Those at the top of society should be paying their fair share to ensure that those suffering the most with the cost of living are not bearing the brunt of it.
"With a majority of the public supporting this, there is no better time for the Government to introduce taxes on private jet fuel and on extreme wealth."
The proposed tax is even supported on the right of the political spectrum. Indeed, 77 per cent of Conservative and Reform voters support increasing the tax paid by private jet users - with only six percent opposing this.
Private jets are flown by the very wealthiest - who can by definition afford to pay more tax - and are also by far the most polluting form of travel.
Cheap
Myles Cummins, aviation campaign manager at Possible, said: "Private jet passengers are currently paying almost nothing in tax compared to the tax ordinary people pay for their flights, while also producing an astronomical amount of pollution on journeys that only the obscenely wealthy can afford.
"In the cost-of-living and climate crises, that simply isn’t acceptable. The numbers are clear: people want a private jet tax, so why aren't we doing something about it?
"Voters of all parties are sending a message to Westminster. They want change, starting with taking action to close this absurd tax loophole for the ultra-rich."
A London to New York private jet passenger emits 27 times more CO₂e than an economy passenger making the same journey, according to Possible.
Currently, private jet passengers pay much less APD than economy passengers as a share of ticket cost: around 0.1-0.8 per cent for a private flight from London to Paris, versus the 54 per cent APD paid on a cheap economy fare on the same journey.
Responsibility
A "fairer" system of taxation on private jets could raise up to £2.7 billion a year, which could help fund essential public services such as the NHS, schools, or investment in warm homes and lower energy bills.
Six in ten people believe that a private jet tax would be beneficial to the overall UK economy. Most people are unaware of how much a private jet tax would raise - with 46 per cent of those surveyed suggesting under £1 billion.
It is likely that support for a tax on private jets could be even higher once the revenue raising capability is made clear to the public.
The charity argues that taxing private jets fairly would ensure that those in society that can best afford to pay do so, with the money being redirected to those who are most economically vulnerable and have least responsibility for the emissions driving the climate crisis.
This Author
Brendan Montague is an editor of The Ecologist. This article is based on a press release from Possible.
