Bernard Arnault, CEO of the LVMH luxury fashion company, has sold his private jet after increased scrutiny led to Twitter accounts tracking his flights. Because of environmental implications, Twitter users were motivated to pressure him to get rid of the plane.
Twitter users @laviondebernard—French for Bernard’s plane—and I Fly Bernard has been tracking and reporting on private jet flights taken by Arnault and other prominent members of France’s upper class. These Twitter accounts typically reported the path of each flight made by the Arnault jet and the amount of greenhouse gasses the flight produced. @laviondebernard noticed the absence of Arnault’s plane last month and wrote to their followers, “The LVMH private jet has not been registered in France since September 1, 2022,” on September 10.
Arnault recently confirmed the sale of his private jet on an LVMH company-owned podcast. He cited the tracking as the reason for the sale. “The result now is that no one can see where I go because I rent planes when I use private planes,” said Arnault. His son, Antoine Arnault, reportedly said that it was not good for business for their competitors to know where he and his father were flying on the jet. Neither commented on the environmental impact of private flights, which was the primary reason for the tracking on Twitter.
The Twitter accounts educate their followers on the climate impacts of private flights. Private jets emit massive amounts of planet-warming greenhouse gasses. The non-profit organization Transportation and Environment reported that private flights pollute up to fourteen times more per passenger than commercial flights. The European Union said that a one-hour private flight can emit up to two tonnes of carbon dioxide, a little less than 25% of a person’s yearly carbon footprint. Other celebrities who frequently fly private, like Twitter’s CEO Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, and the Kardashian family, have been under similar pressure to relinquish their private planes. Personal jet usage in France has come under fire recently, and according to Reuters, the French government plans to raise taxes on private planes.
Bernard Arnault is the second-richest person in the world, behind Tesla CEO Elon Musk. His net worth is roughly $150 billion. LVMH is the parent company of several luxury brands, including Louis Vitton, Dom Perignon, and Givenchy. Arnault admitted to selling the jet after increased pressure from Twitter users like @lavoindebernard, who Tweeted, “Still no word from Bernard Arnault or LVMH on the subject of private jets. So Bernard, are we hiding?” to provoke a response.
A report from the non-profit organization Oxfam found that the top 1% of the world’s earners have the most significant per-person impact on climate change. Between 1992 and 2015, the world’s wealthiest people contributed 15% of all carbon emissions. Private jet usage contributes directly to this number, which could quickly be reduced if more celebrities and business moguls relinquish their private planes. The LVMH private plane could be just the beginning of a string of stars looking to rehabilitate their images by ditching their private jets.
