Millionaires and former pilots are urging governments to stop private jet travel as the Cannes Film Festival gets underway today.
According to recent data, two million litres of paraffin were burnt while transporting the wealthy and well-known to and from the festival the previous year.
According to new data from T&E, some 750 private aircraft flew to and from the Cannes Film Festival in 2025, emitting emissions equivalent to 14,000 passengers on commercial return flights from Paris to Athens.
In light of predictions that aircraft fuel shortages would affect millions of European vacationers as early as June, celebrities are now being exhorted to take the train whenever possible or follow in the footsteps of actor Pedro Pascal, who flew economy to Cannes last year.
The “reckless excess” of permitting private jet flights to continue when fuel reserves are required for essential services like emergency medical treatment, disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and defence has been criticised by former pilots.
According to current EU regulations, all international flights and two thirds of private aircraft are free from carbon levies.
Ex-pilots have been advocating for the suspension of private flights while the fuel crisis persists because Cannes usually results in a significant increase in private jet traffic.
Former private jet pilot Katie Thompson stated: “If last year is any indication, we will see the world’s movie stars burning two million litres of fuel at the Cannes Film Festival this year.”
Celebrities are being deterred from taking private jets to the Cannes Film Festival.
Pedro Pascal set the standard last year when he travelled to Cannes in economy.
According to former pilot Katie Thompson, there is no justification for celebrities to fly private aircraft. “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.”
“Flying around on a private jet while several crises are happening right in front of us is completely unacceptable.”
Pedro Pascal took an economy ticket to Cannes last year. There’s no reason why the others can’t follow suit or, if feasible, take the train. We are all in this together, after all.
Additionally, the former pilots are calling on the EU to fix the obvious gaps that let many of the wealthiest from paying fuel taxes.
They are urging the EU to address the loopholes in the Emissions Trading System, which exempts all foreign flights and two-thirds of private aircraft from paying the carbon fee that all commercial passengers travelling within the EU are required to pay.
“As a pilot, you have a front-row seat to climate change,” stated Anthony Viaux, a former Air France pilot with over 20 years of experience.
It is not only tone deaf but also obscene for the wealthy and well-known to burn through limited fuel in order to attend a film festival. We are urging lawmakers to immediately ground all private aircraft.
“Additionally, the EU must fix the loopholes so that future carbon prices will apply to all private aircraft including international flights.
“Policymakers in the EU should not allow Trump’s administration to set the rules.” It’s time to take a risk and ensure that the wealthy pay their fair share.
The really wealthy have also nodded in accord.
“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,” stated Julia Davies, co-founder of We Have The POWER and member of Patriotic Millionaires UK.
“Fixing this means two things right now, amid a fuel and accelerating climate crisis: grounding private jets to protect fuel for essential services like ambulances and ensuring that private jets pay at least the same taxes as a care worker pays when travelling to vulnerable clients.”
According to the festival’s own estimation, travel accounts for 93% of its overall carbon footprint, with many participants arriving in private planes or opulent yachts.
In order to set an example for all of us amid a fuel crisis, should celebrities be compelled to give up their private jets?
According to recent data, two million litres of paraffin were burnt while transporting the wealthy and well-known to and from the festival last year.
The usage of enormous amounts of fuel as a result is “obscene,” according to former pilot Anthony Viaux.
The administrators of the Cannes festival have praised initiatives to recycle red carpets and cut down on paper printouts and single-use plastic waste.
However, addressing how travel affects the environment is still a significant blind spot.
“Everyone loves the glitz and glamour of the Cannes Film Festival, but the fossil fuel crisis now brings the issue of jet fuel consumption around the festival into focus,” stated Jérôme du Boucher, deputy director of aviation at T&E.
We’re urging the festival producers to put more effort into encouraging greener modes of transportation in the upcoming years so that celebrities go by train rather than private aircraft wherever feasible and take commercial flights when needed.
“Given the fuel crisis, governments have no justification for not grounding private aircraft completely in the interim and using the upcoming Emissions Trading Scheme review to ensure they contribute to public coffers by paying carbon taxes in the future.”
