Can Private Jet Charter Services Be Eco-Friendly?

Chartering a private jet in an eco-friendly way

Chartering a private jet can create a bigger carbon footprint – but there is a way to use private jets and remain eco-friendly.

It’s no secret that private jets are worse for the environment than commercial flights. Usually, your private jet will be smaller than a commercial jet, which means that overall it emits fewer greenhouse gases.

But, because there are much fewer passengers on-board, in the private aviation industry, each person has a higher individual carbon footprint.

This should be a familiar concept for travelers around the world. But it’s widely accepted that we can’t always use the most eco-friendly mode of transport. For example, the United States has an excellent public transportation system. This includes high-speed rail options such as Amtrak’s Acela Express, and the Keystone Service. Plus, there are more than a dozen rapid transit systems including the New York City Subway and Washington Metro.

Yet some 276.1 million personal vehicles were registered in the USA in 2018, according to statistics from the Bureau of Transportation.

What does this tell us? It proves that using the most eco-friendly travel option at all times is impractical. It’s not something the majority of people can integrate into their day-to-day lives.

Carbon controversy

Recently, the use of private jets has fallen under the microscope of green campaigners. And certain high-profile flyers have been targeted for a perceived indifference to the environment.

The United Kingdom’s Prince Harry faced public scrutiny when it emerged he had boarded a series of four private flights in 11 days. Prince Harry defended his position, citing his family’s safety as a major concern and that he offsets his private jet travels.

Of course, flying private is incredibly safe, and that's why even eco-friendly campaigners use private jets.

Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio is well-recognized for his efforts to save the environment. After a long wait for a Best Actor Oscar, he finally won in 2016 and used his speech to highlight global warming.

Yet he happily flew 8,000 miles via a private jet to accept an award on climate change.

Does this seem counter-intuitive? On the face of it, perhaps. But aviation experts understand that private jet charter and carbon footprints share a complex relationship.

Environmental awareness is more prominent than ever. In a time when somebody’s social media presence can hold a lot of public sway, acts by campaigners like Greta Thunberg can alter the public’s perception of what is and isn’t acceptable.

For example, Greta Thunberg publicly drew attention to her ‘zero-carbon’ yacht trip, opting to sail across the Atlantic instead of flying.

But, once again, this doesn’t tell the whole story.

Firstly, very few can afford the time or money required for such a journey – making it wildly impractical for most people.

Not only that, but reports from German outlet Spiegel Online exposed the fact that people will be flying to New York in order to retrieve the yacht. This could render the trip redundant.

What’s really interesting are the comments from Team Malizia spokesperson Holly Cava. While discussing the flights needed to retrieve the vessel, she mentioned that the emissions would be offset by funding carbon-reducing projects elsewhere.

Put the pieces of the puzzle together, and you begin to see the full picture. Even the most high profile eco-friendly names are open to commercial and private flights. It’s possible to fight climate change while also enjoying a private jet charter.

How can private jet users offset their carbon footprint?

Many initiatives exist to battle climate change. One of the most popular for private jet users it to invest in a scheme which offsets the damage made during your flight. This helps restore purity to the environment.

Paramount Business Jets has developed a private jet carbon offset system that calculates carbon emissions quickly and provides various nonprofit organizations to choose to offset those emissions through.

And you can join them.

There is no single solution, as customers can opt for the scheme they feel is most beneficial.

Here are some of the services you can purchase to reduce your carbon footprint:

Take your pick, or spread your investment across them each time you fly. To date, funds obtained have resulted in a number of exciting initiatives.

Here’s how your input can make a difference:

• Cleaner energy from wind power
• Extra farm power
• Capturing methane from mines
• Capturing landfill gases
• Better forest management

How it works

When you book a private jet, you can use sites like Paramount Business Jets to process the offset of your carbon footprint.

First, book your private jet charter as usual. Once you’ve done that, you’ll know exactly how far you’re flying and what aircraft type you will be using.

You can then use a carbon footprint calculator to figure out the emissions from your trip.

Better yet, when you make a booking with Paramount Business jets, we can do the hard work for you!

Every time you book with us, we’ll give you the option of offsetting your carbon footprint. Give us the green light and we’ll take care of everything for you.

Eco-friendly private jet charter may seem like a paradox at first. But the concept is really quite simple.

Whatever you damage, you replace.

Don’t choose between private jet charter and being eco-friendly. Choose both.

Although carbon offset may not be the ideal solution, it’s the best option we have at the moment.