Calls for private jet tax as Prestwick Airport sees surge in flights
A new investigation published on Thursday by Oxfam Scotland revealed that there were 12,143 private flights in and out of Scottish airports in 2024, with the busiest being Edinburgh, Glasgow, Prestwick and Inverness.
In Prestwick alone, the number of private flights rose from 1845 in 2023 to 2437 in 2024 – an increase of 32%.
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The investigation also found an "alarming" spike in private flights at Prestwick which coincided with a key golfing event.
In July 2024, when The Open was held at the nearly Royal Troon Golf Club, private flights at Prestwick surged by 123%. A total of 453 private jets took off or landed that month (compared to the 203 average monthly flights in 2024), equivalent to 15 flights a day.
Oxfam Scotland used data on departures and landings from the Civil Aviation Authority, looking specifically at aircraft over 2.73 tonnes and excluding those from aero-clubs.
While there were 768 fewer flights in 2024 than the previous year, it is slightly more than the 10-year average.
The charity said that if an Air Departure Tax (ADT) had been in place – and applied at the highest possible rate – it would have generated an extra £28.8 million in tax revenue for the Scottish Government.
Oxfam Scotland has been campaigning for a private jet tax like the ADT to be introduced, set to at least 10 times the existing higher rate within the UK Air Passenger Duty.
The Scottish Government has previously said it is committed to introducing an ADT and that it is open to introducing a higher tax on private jets.
However, progress on introducing ADT in Scotland has been delayed by an ongoing stalemate between the Scottish and UK governments.
The Scottish Government owns Prestwick Airport as well as Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), which operates airports in Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Inverness, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick.
'All talk, no take off'
Commenting on the report, Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said the Scottish Government should be "embarrass[ed] that Prestwick is being used "as a playground for the world's wealthiest polluters".
He said: "For a government that's already scrapped a key climate target and diluted vital green policies, continuing to give ultra-wealth polluters an easy ride adds insult to injury.
'The First Minister says he backs landing a fair tax on pollution-spewing private jets, but so far, it's all talk, no take-off. It's time he stopped circling the issue and finally land this fair tax on those polluting Scotland's skies.'
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Becky Kenton-Lake, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland coalition manager, said: 'People in Scotland want our political leaders to invest in fast and fair climate action.
"A Private Jet Tax would help hold the biggest polluters accountable and raise vital funds to protect us all from the damage they're causing.
"Ministers have the chance to lead boldly, and Scotland is counting on them to deliver.'
Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens, which have long campaigned for a private jet tax, called on the Scottish Government to "show clear leadership" and to introduce the tax at airports it owns.
Ross Greer MSPScottish Greens MSP Ross Greer said: 'An obscene amount of wealth is being hoarded by a tiny number of elites who fly across the globe in their climate-wrecking private jets.
'These jets have a huge impact on our environment, and while their super-rich occupants fly between their golf courses and superyachts, it's Scottish taxpayers left paying to clean up their mess."
Greer pointed towards data quoted by Oxfam Scotland which shows that private jet use is 20 times more polluting than regular commercial flights, as he said a private jet tax would "keep the super-rich and their destructive toys on the ground".
He continued: 'We've waited for years for the Scottish and UK Governments to deliver the devolution of ADT in Scotland, as they agreed to do over a decade ago.
'Delays to the devolution of ADT aren't a get out of jail free card for the Scottish Government. They can introduce a charge on private jets at the dozen airports they own right now, raising cash for public services and taking action to tackle the climate emergency.'
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Greer reiterated calls for the Scottish Government to introduce the charge at the airports it owns during First Minister's Questions on Thursday.
John Swinney told him: "I've already stated that I'm interested in the suggestion of higher tax rates on private jet flights."
He added that the Scottish Government is continuing to "explore all options for implementing air departure tax", in a way which does not disproportionately affect communities in the Highlands and Islands.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "As has previously been set out, ministers are open to the suggestion of higher rates of Air Departure Tax on private jet flights.
"This will form part of the review of rates and bands undertaken prior to implementation."
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