Fat Cats Take Flight

It is always potentially problematic, when different rules for the wealthy seem to apply. If nothing else, it knocks a hole in the 'all in it together' ethos. The latest example of varied experiences can be seen in the observation that, whilst there has been a 75% decline in commercial air travel, the private jet sector has been remarkably resilient (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/21/wealthy-uk-flyers-opt-for-private-jets-to-evade-covid-and-lockdowns). The rich seem to have used private jets to evade Covid-19 and lockdowns (poorer people couldn't do this because most commercial flights were cancelled). Although the total private jet sector showed a decline over the year, rental was almost normal in August (for the holiday season). Business in that sector was also high near Christmas. These private jet rentals, as they carry few passengers, are likely to be associated with high carbon footprints. Perhaps we need bigger taxes on this sector, to curtail some of the environmental damage?