The majority of the British public supports restricting private jet travel to over potential fuel shortages, a new poll suggests as concerns mount over the Middle East crisis.
The survey, conducted by Survation on behalf of the green advocacy group Possible, found that over two-thirds (66 per cent) of more than 2,000 UK adults believe private jet use should be curtailed if necessary, rather than cancelling standard passenger flights.
This preference holds even if it means limiting travel options for private jet passengers.
Support for the measure spanned the political spectrum, with 64 per cent of Labour voters, 70 per cent of Reform supporters, 62 per cent of Conservative voters, 76 per cent of Liberal Democrats and 67 per cent of Green voters backing the restriction.
Around 20 per cent of respondents indicated that standard passenger flights should be cancelled instead of restricting private jet travel, even if this meant holiday plans were disrupted.
A further 14 per cent were undecided.
The findings emerge as global fuel supplies face increasing pressure due to Iran’s asserted control over tankers navigating the Strait of Hormuz, amidst its ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.
While ministers say UK airlines are not currently seeing fuel shortages, fears are growing that mass cancellations and soaring fares will hit people’s summer holidays.
According to its analysis of common private jets compared to standard UK flights, Possible said the fuel burned annually by UK private jets is equivalent to around 730,000 family holidays to the Mediterranean.
Alethea Warrington, head of aviation at Possible, said restricting private jets and diverting fuel to holiday flights if shortages arise is a “no-brainer”.
She said: “People deserve a summer holiday. The Government should get on with grounding private jet flights before this crisis spirals out of control and hundreds of thousands of people lose out on their only chance to get away this year.”
A separate analysis by Transport and Environment (T&E), which campaigns for clean transport, found about two million litres of kerosene were burned by private flights to and from the Cannes Film Festival last May.
The group estimated 750 flights jetted into Cannes for the event, comparable to 14,000 passengers on commercial return flights from Paris to Athens.
With this year’s film festival kicking off in France on Tuesday, Jerome du Boucher, T&E’s deputy director of aviation, said governments have “no excuse” not to ground private jets entirely, given the fuel crisis.
Katie Thompson, a former private jet pilot, joined the group’s calls for a crackdown on private jet use.
“If last year is anything to go by, we will yet again see the world’s film stars burning two million litres of fuel at Cannes Film Festival this year,” she said.
“With climate change accelerating, this reckless excess is outrageous, especially now when limited available fuel is desperately needed elsewhere for basic food production, disaster relief efforts and other humanitarian emergencies.”
Anthony Viaux, a former Air France pilot of more than 20 years, said: “As a pilot, you have a front-row seat to climate change.
“The rich and famous burning through scarce fuel to get to a film festival isn’t just tone-deaf, it’s obscene.
“We’re calling on policymakers to ground all private flights with immediate effect.”
A UK Government spokesperson said: “UK airlines are clear that they are currently not seeing disruption to supply.
“Whilst private aircraft use a very minor proportion of fuel compared to the rest of the industry, all options for fuel prioritisation will be considered as part of sensible contingency planning.”
