A video of John Travolta speaking about his private plane use is circulating, and this comes after a photo of Travolta's Florida mansion that some called "disgusting" showed a couple of his jets casually parked in the back.
In a YouTube Short from 10X Studios (@10xstudios) shared on Sept. 28, Grant Cardone asked him in an interview, "Why do you have three planes? … I got one plane. I barely can handle it."
"It's a practical reason. I'm a pilot myself. … If I have one jet that's inoperable, I have one to back it up," Travolta responded. The interview was originally taped in front of a live audience as part of the 10X Growth Conference 2021 on building wealth. The lavish setup at his home, which includes a runway almost leading straight to his door as part of the Jumbolair Aviation & Equestrian Estates community he lives in, received backlash online just several months ago.
The property sits in an aviation-themed community in Ocala, Florida, designed for residents who prefer to taxi their planes straight to their homes. Travolta clarified that he holds 12 jet ratings, including the Boeing 747, 707, Gulfstream, and Learjet, and he prefers to fly himself instead of chartering.
For Travolta, it's just a part of the lifestyle he's built, and it was perhaps more understandable during a time when jet pollution and the effects of rising global temperatures were not as well understood — under the mentality of if you have the good fortune to hit it rich, you go ahead and spend the money however you want.
That view isn't inherently bad, and Travolta has a good reputation as a friendly person on and off camera, but most would agree there are responsible and less responsible ways to spend. Either way, the clip shows how different "practical" can look depending on who you are.
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Aside from the lavish lifestyle, a conversation can be had about what private jet travel represents in a time of major pollution concerns. Private jets produced up to 19.5 million metric tons of planet-warming gas in 2023, which is equivalent to the output of as much as 177 passenger cars or nine heavy-duty highway trucks, per the ICCT. This use of private planes directly impacts the world's increasing temperatures by emitting gases that combine to trap heat in the atmosphere.
The ripple effect from rising global temperatures results in extreme weather events such as destructive storms, longer droughts, and severe wildfires. These events threaten human safety, wildlife safety, the integrity of our local ecosystems, and even food supply.
Travolta isn't the only celebrity to be called out for unchecked consumption. Other public figures, such as Jeff Bezos and Steven Spielberg, have faced similar backlash. Bezos bought his fourth private jet for $80 million in direct contradiction to Amazon's public stance on its environmentally friendly goals. Similarly, Spielberg has spoken publicly about being "terrified of global warming" yet is ranked among the celebrities who use their private jets the most.
When the planet is experiencing extreme weather events due to human-caused rising global temperatures, indulgence to this degree may be less practical and more harmful.
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Heck yes 👍 "How much money could he have pissed away just to get rated on 12 jets?" one commenter under the YouTube Short frustratedly asked.
"It's no different than anybody else with a hobby. … So I guess it depends upon how much money you have to spend on what you like," another added in defense of Travolta.
"I'm richer than you. That's all he has to say," a third wrote.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this article reported as though the Sept. 28 video posted by 10X Studios were a new interview. It has been updated to reflect that this was originally filmed in 2021.
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