The Scottish Greens have announced plans to ban private jets from Scotland’s publicly-owned airports, saying they “shouldn’t be used to serve the whims of billionaires”.
The proposed ban would stop such flights from landing at Prestwick Airport in South Ayrshire and at all airports covered by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, including Inverness.
The Greens said the number of private jet flights in Scotland increased to more than 12,000 in 2024, the last year for which such data has been compiled.
The party said private jets are up to 30 times more polluting than regular commercial planes and 50 times more polluting than trains.
Scottish Greens co-leader Ross Greer said the party believes public airports should serve the public good, “not act as a taxpayer-funded playground for the ultra-wealthy”.
He said: “Private jets are one of the clearest symbols of extreme climate and wealth inequality.
“The vast majority of people in Scotland will never go near one, but we all end up suffering from the damage they are doing to our climate.
“Thanks to the Scottish Greens, work is already under way on a private jet tax to make sure the richest start paying their fair share.
“The next step is to ban these toys of the super-rich from landing at our publicly-owned airports at all.
“Airports owned by the public shouldn’t be used to serve the whims of billionaires.
“Their luxury lifestyles and pollution-heavy vanity trips simply aren’t worth the damage they cause to our planet.
“Whether they are hopping between their shooting estates, mansions or superyachts, the result is the same – the public pays the price while the super-rich carry on as normal.”
As aviation powers are reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government would not be able to ban private jets from privately-owned airports such as Glasgow or Edinburgh, however the private jet tax would apply to any flights landing there, the Scottish Greens said.
Mr Greer said: “This election is a chance to back real climate action and finally start holding the biggest polluters to account.
“A vote for the Scottish Greens on May 7 is a vote to demand better for our climate, our communities and our future.”