A Dubai-based CEO has sparked outrage after chartering a $20 million private jet just to get to a meeting.
Reported by NDTV, Jonathan Low, CEO of fintech company Biptap, sparked a discussion on private jet travel after sharing a LinkedIn post about chartering a private jet.
"I fly private to make it on time for a meeting. I built this life when I had nothing but a dream. Now I'm living what felt impossible back then. So let them talk. Keep working. Keep building," Jonathan Low wrote in the post.
The post went viral online and there were lots of mixed responses in the comments section. Some people praised the CEO for his hard work and dedication, while others questioned if it was really necessary to travel by private jet, especially when meetings can now be held online.
The number of private jets in the skies is increasing, which is not good for the planet. A study found that, between 2019 and 2023, emissions of harmful pollution from private jets increased by around 46%, per PBS News.
Aviation as a whole is responsible for about 4% of human-caused heat-trapping gases, of which private jets make up nearly half at 1.8%. While this might not sound like a lot, it highlights that the majority of damage is done by those with a lot of money, and it is the world's poorest who will pay the price.
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Private jets have recently come under a lot of scrutiny for their excessive pollution and increased use by the rich and famous. Jeff Bezos' recent wedding sparked backlash, where nearly 100 private jets landed in Venice for the occasion. And protesters recently gathered at Farnborough Airport in the U.K., which serves only private planes, to protest its expansion.
Several of the commenters on Jonathan Low's post highlighted the wasteful and unsustainable behavior of those traveling by private jet.
"Paying 1000's for a private charter for a meeting is crazy. Zoom is free and if absolutely necessary pay a few hundred bucks and fly coach," wrote one unimpressed commenter.
Another wrote, "Keep building by all means-but build your legacy, build a sustainable future, not your own carbon footprint," per NDTV.
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