Toys for the rich: Rolls-Royce-powered private jet sparks climate backlash

A private jet, powered by Rolls-Royce engines and capable of flying 9,000 miles at speeds up to 717 miles per hour, is set to launch in the United States and Europe. But while engineers celebrate its innovation, the public response has been far less enthusiastic.

Across online forums and climate watchdog groups, critics argue that such technological advances should focus on reducing emissions and improving commercial air travel. A top-rated comment on Reddit labelled the jet as “more toys for rich toddlers”, voicing growing resentment over the luxury industry’s contribution to climate change.

Private jets are known to emit 5 to 14 times more CO₂ per passenger than commercial flights, according to DriveElectric. A short hop from London to Paris, for example, produces up to six times more carbon per passenger than a standard airline. Meanwhile, the global working class — who contribute the least to global emissions — bear the brunt of climate disasters, as Oxfam recently noted.

Environmentalists and NGOs are now calling for stricter tax laws. The current Air Passenger Duty Tax, mainly aimed at commercial airlines, disproportionately affects the average traveller more than billionaires flying privately. Some smaller private aircraft are entirely exempt from these charges.

“I’ll never be able to fly in this, and honestly, I have zero aspirations to do so,” one user posted in response to the announcement. Another added: “More tech that only benefits the 1%  while the rest of us deal with the consequences.”

As this new jet prepares for commercial rollout, the divide between luxury innovation and public need continues to widen, and so too does the climate bill.

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