“A short-term weekly increase does not, in itself, indicate a structural surge in demand,” said Róman Kok, public affairs director at the European Business Aviation Association.
“April includes strong seasonal and Easter-related effects, and wider European network traffic was still below 2025 levels in several April weeks,” he said, citing data from Eurocontrol.
Data shared by Carbon Sky Index shows that April’s jump in private jet flights increased CO2 emissions to 83,847 metric tons, up from around 80,000 metric tons in March. Still, that’s only a tiny share of overall aviation emissions, which totaled 195 million tons of CO2 in Europe in 2025, according to green NGO Transport & Environment.
But environmental campaigners aren’t buying the industry’s argument that the sector is too small to have an impact — hitting at the symbolism of the rich continuing to fly.
“It’s luxury travel in a fuel crisis and climate crisis that’s really irresponsible,” said Katie Thompson, a former private jet pilot who now campaigns to reduce air travel.
“Holiday travelers are looking nervously, waiting for that email telling them their flight’s going to be disrupted,” she said.
