A British charity says private jet travel is too taxed to fund public transport for the super-rich

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A charity has said the wealthy should be forced to pay an extra tax each time they fly on “extremely destructive” private jets to help fund better and cleaner public transport.

The Campaign for Better Transport (CfBT) has called on the government to introduce a “super tax” on private jet travel, saying it is time for these individuals to start paying for the damages their flights cause and the proceeds used to help improve public transport for communities across the country. .

The charity said private planes are between five and 14 times more polluting than commercial flights and 50 times more polluting than riding a train. They argue that an “extreme rate of air passenger fares (APD)” should be applied to calculate the damage to the planet. CfBT has also called on the government to strip private flights of their current VAT-exempt status.

“Private jets do enormous damage to the environment and are the preserve of the ultra-rich,” said Norman Baker, director of foreign affairs at CfBT and a former Liberal Democrat MP.

Currently, passengers on private jets are charged the same APD rate as business or first class passengers, with the higher rate applying to aircraft of 20 tonnes or more with fewer than 19 passengers on board.

Campaigners said APD’s new super rate on private jet travel should be 10 times the current higher rate for domestic and European flights, which would apply to all private jet passengers, regardless of plane size or capacity or distance traveled. . They said the levy could raise £1.4 billion a year – roughly the equivalent of Network Rail’s full annual maintenance costs.

In addition, CfBT said the government should charge VAT every time a private jet lands or takes off, regardless of size or distance flown, which would raise an additional £79m to £623m.

The number of private jets in operation rose 7% last year and is up 47% from 2020, according to data from private jet consulting firm Wing-X. This contrasts starkly with airlines’ scheduled passenger activity, which remained 35% below pre-pandemic levels.

“With the UK responsible for 19% of Europe’s carbon emissions from private jets – more than any other European country – the Transport Improvement Campaign is calling on the government to ensure that private jets pay for the pollution they cause and that money is invested in public transport services,” said the charity.

A Treasury spokesperson said: “Since 2017 we have nearly doubled transport spending to £27.1 billion to help boost road and rail connectivity, and from April 2023 air passenger fares will be lower for commercial domestic flights to boost links within the UK.

“Not only will larger private jets benefit from the new lower domestic fees, they will also pay more for the new ultra-long-haul range on international flights, ensuring that those who travel farthest contribute more.”

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