Deniz Weissenborn, owner of Platoon Aviation, which charters eight-seat jets, told Reuters that its clients are wealthy enough to absorb higher prices. “The world is in turmoil, but not our passengers,” he said. “If you fly in a private jet, I don’t think you’re bothered by an increase of 1,000 or 2,000 euros.”
Eight private jet executives said that while private traffic to the Middle East had dipped due to airspace safety concerns, demand for travel to Europe and the United States was likely to approach record levels this year.
Andy Spencer, a private jet pilot who has flown routes in the Middle East and Asia, told Reuters: “It is as busy as ever.”
Manufacturers are also benefiting. Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto told Reuters at an executive aviation airshow in Sao Paulo, Brazil in May: “Our customers’ flight hours continue to hit record highs month after month.”
Jason Middleton, owner of Silver Air Private Jets, said private aviation gets a boost from every major world event, citing the Iran war, the Covid pandemic, and unrest in South America. “Every time there are world events, private aviation gets a little bit of a bump, every single time,” he said. “It’s like a safety thing… People feel safe when they have control.”
Regional and Global Impact
Industry watchers say the surge in private jet use is another sign of the so-called “K-shaped” economy appearing across consumer markets from luxury goods to dining, as high-income travellers spend more while middle- and lower-income groups tighten their belts, with budget carriers in particular feeling the squeeze.
Experts have warned that food shortages and famine are a likely outcome in many regions as limited fuel supply may start to affect disaster relief efforts and humanitarian aid. European holidaymakers are also bracing for major disruption over the summer period. Around 13,000 flights scheduled for May were cancelled by airlines around the world.
Former pilots and a group of millionaires have called for private jets flying to the Cannes Film Festival to be grounded, and for the EU to close what they describe as loopholes that allow many of the wealthiest travellers to avoid fuel taxes. The EU’s carbon tax system exempts two-thirds of private jets and all international flights from paying the carbon levy that commercial passengers flying within the EU are required to pay.
A spokesperson for the European Business Aviation Association said the sector played an important role in Europe’s connectivity and that criticism of private aviation was overly simplistic.
Background
The Iran war began in late February 2026. Missile and drone strikes around the Gulf have drastically reduced commercial flight operations in a region that previously served as a major global aviation hub. The fuel price shock that followed has rippled through commercial carriers globally. Research by NGO Transport and Environment shows that private jet travel at the Cannes Film Festival in a prior year burned through around two million litres of fossil fuel kerosene — equivalent to an average combustion engine car driving 30 million kilometres. Demand for private aviation had already been growing before the conflict, with industry data tracking consistent year-on-year gains since 2021.
What Happens Next
Eight private jet executives told Reuters that demand for travel to Europe and the United States is likely to approach record levels this year. Embraer said flight hours among its private jet customers are continuing to set new monthly records. Campaigners are pressing the EU to review tax exemptions for private aviation, though no legislative timeline has been confirmed. Commercial airlines face continued uncertainty over summer schedules while the conflict in the Gulf persists and fuel prices remain elevated. The Irish Newseuronews
