Recently, a portion of the media and climate advocates have highlighted a significant issue with private flights, as they generate large amounts of carbon emissions to cater to the travel needs of a group of ultra-rich individuals.

Celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Taylor Swift, and even the world’s wealthiest billionaire, Elon Musk, have been targeted in this movement.

Back in August, the Tesla CEO faced criticism from climate advocates when a Twitter account dedicated to monitoring and reporting the air travel activities of the ultra-rich revealed his use of a private jet for a distance of less than 60 km, or under 9 minutes of flight time.

“Elon Musk took a 9-minute flight to San Francisco from San Jose, which is just 5 stops away on the Caltrain. I’m truly speechless,” said Hayden Clarkin, founder of TransitCon, an annual transportation conference self-described as featuring “the smartest people in public transportation.”

Earlier in July, Canadian rapper Drake faced criticism after using a private jet to travel from Toronto to Hamilton (Canada) in a flight of less than 14 minutes.

The 35-year-old rapper responded to the criticism in a comment on Instagram, stating that it was merely the movement of the aircraft between airports to fulfill logistical needs rather than having anyone onboard.

According to reports, Drake’s plane flew from Hamilton to Toronto on three separate occasions in June and July, with flights lasting between 14 to 18 minutes each. Each flight is estimated to emit around 5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Despite the rapper’s explanation, many argue that his justification of the empty plane movement “makes it worse” as the aircraft “still consumes the same amount of fuel whether it’s carrying passengers or not.”

The aviation industry emits under 1 billion tons of CO2 annually, making up 2.5% of global emissions. Despite this, a small fraction of individuals, such as 15% of UK adults and 10% of flights from France in 2019, contribute significantly to aviation emissions.

While an average citizen emits about 7 tons of CO2 yearly, celebrities have emitted over 3,300 tons from their private jets between January and August, according to Yard. Notably, celebrities like Floyd Mayweather and Kylie Jenner have taken short private flights, emitting large amounts of CO2 compared to car emissions.

Under public pressure, Taylor Swift has likely sold her private jet.

Singer Taylor Swift has sold one of her two private jets – valued at $44 million, after over a decade of ownership.

On February 8th, Business Insider reported, according to information from the US Federal Aviation Administration, that the voice of Love Story has sold her Dassault Falcon 900. The transaction was completed on January 30th, with the new owner being a company based in the state of Missouri.

The contract value has not been disclosed, but according to Business Jet Traveler, a new Dassault Falcon 900 costs around $44 million. Taylor Swift’s remaining aircraft is the Dassault 7X, which can accommodate up to 16 passengers.

The singer purchased the Falcon 900 in 2011, often using it for touring or leisure travel. She put the number 13 (her lucky number and birth date) on the aircraft’s tail. The plane has the capacity to carry 12 people in spacious surroundings, allowing passengers to move comfortably, feeling as if they are in a luxurious apartment.

The aircraft is equipped with a well-appointed kitchen, allowing Taylor Swift and her team to enjoy their favorite meals. The Falcon 900 also features a bathroom with a shower, a private bedroom, enabling the singer to rest during tours across different time zones.

The plane is one of Taylor Swift’s assets that the public is interested in. In 2022, she topped the list of celebrities with high carbon emissions from private jets, negatively impacting the environment. In 2023, she flew by plane for over 166 hours for tours in the US. However, the singer’s representative stated that she is not the only one using private transportation. Additionally, Taylor’s team mentioned that her aircraft is often lent to others, so not all flights can be attributed solely to the singer.