Stars flying into Cannes in private jets ‘obscene’, say ex-pilots

AFP | Cannes

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Climate activists are urging movie stars to fly economy or take the train to Cannes after saying private jets burned two millions of litres of kerosene getting them to the film festival last year.

“The rich and famous burning through scarce fuel to get to a film festival isn’t just tone deaf, it’s obscene,” said former Air France pilot Anthony Viaux, one of several to have signed up to the call.

With the war in the Middle East sparking a global fuel crisis, research by environmental group Transport and Environment (T&E) said 750 private jet flights ferried A-listers and Hollywood executives to the world’s biggest film festival last year.

“That’s equivalent to what 14,000 passengers would have consumed flying between Paris and Athens,” the group’s head of aviation, Jerome du Boucher, told AFP Thursday.

Former private jet pilot Katie Thompson said stars should follow the example of “Narcos” actor Pedro Pascal and fly economy class to Cannes. “Last year Pedro Pascal flew to Cannes in an economy seat.

There’s no reason the rest of them can’t do the same, or take the train where possible,” she said.

De Boucher said they were lobbying European governments to ban private jets.

“In a context of climate crisis and oil shock, it seems absolutely obvious that this kerosene should be reserved for more essential uses at a time when we’re facing fuel shortages,” he said.