“The short-term weekly increase does not reflect an increase in structural demand,” said Róman Kok, director of public affairs at the European Business Aviation Association.
“April includes strong seasonal and Easter effects, and Europe-wide network traffic was still below 2025 levels in several weeks of April,” he said, citing data from Eurocontrol.
Data shared by Carbon Sky Index shows that April’s jump in private flights increased CO2 emissions to 83,847 tonnes, up from around 80,000 tonnes in March. Still, that’s only a fraction of total atmospheric emissions, which reached 195 million tonnes of CO2 in Europe in 2025, according to the green NGO. Transportation and Environment.
But environmentalists aren’t buying the industry’s argument that the sector is too small to have an impact – hitting the mark for the rich to keep flying.
“It’s luxury travel in an irresponsible fuel and climate crisis,” said Katie Thompson, a former private jet pilot who now campaigns to reduce air travel.
“Holidays are visibly anxious, waiting for that email telling them their flight will be cancelled,” he said.
