Environment activists have targeted a private jet company owned by one of Scotland’s largest landowners in a huge protest at a Scots airport.
Extinction Rebellion Scotland are protesting at Inverness Airport on February 15 in a joint demonstration alongside activists from Scientist Rebellion Denmark at Billund Airport in Denmark against private jet firm Blackbird Air.
The eco warriors say they are taking action to highlight the contradictions between Blackbird Air’s owner Anders Povlsen’s private jets enterprise and his commitment to the climate crisis through another company.
Images from the scene show activists waving banners outside Inverness Airport declaring ‘Ban Private Jets’ and ‘Blackbird Nae mAir’ accompanied by others dressed as “blackbirds”.
A huge banner can also be seen laid on the ground with words from the Wildland Ltd. company website “We’re in a climate emergency. We need to step up and take action”.
The protestors are calling for Anders Povlsen “to step up and take action”, close down Blackbird Air and invest in clean transportation.
Alex Cochrane from Extinction Rebellion Scotland said: “Private jets are the quickest way to burn fossil fuels and produce on average 10 times more CO2 emissions per passenger than commercial flights.
“Though Blackbird Air states on their website ‘Our private jets feature the latest safety innovations and energy-efficient engines’, the aviation industry expects worldwide another 8,500 private jets will enter service by 2033 (including Blackbird), far outstripping any efficiency gains.”
Dr Sarah Birkby from Extinction Rebellion Highlands and Islands and Moray added: ‘It is completely contradictory to state the importance of acting on the climate emergency and at the same time run a private jet company. The time when people, no matter how rich, could say one thing and do the exact opposite is over. As Wildland Ltd itself declares, we need people to step up and take action”.
In October 2024, we reported that Povlsen has been accused of greenwashing after his private jet firm made more than 1100 trips despite his sponsorship of a climate-boosting project lauched by Prince William.
Blackbird have been approached for comment.