On Saturday night, an earthquake monitoring station in Edinburgh, Scotland picked up a tremor. It was caused by 75,000 Taylor Swift fans jumping at a concert 3.5 miles (6km) away. Swift’s Eras Tour has set seismic records around the world – in Seattle a concert registered the equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake.

You would have to be fearless or foolish to attack Swift.

But this week, in the early daylight, two environmental protestors from Just Stop Oil cut through the fence surrounding the UK’s Stansted Airport. Their aim was to paint Swift’s gorgeous aircraft. They did not find it. Instead, they sprayed orange paint on two private jets and demanded an emergency treaty to end fossil fuels by 2030. They were arrested. The aircraft are no doubt clean now.

This is not the first time that pressure groups have criticised Swift’s jet use and tried to make her an anti-hero. But going after her reputation  could be a mistake. She is Miss Americana. A 2023 survey by Morning Consult said that 53% of adult Americans are Swift fans. Some 44% described themselves as Swifties. These mega-fans know her love story. They followed her flight back from Tokyo on a business jet to watch her lover Travis Kelce win the Superbowl with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The day before the protestors attempted to paint her jet, Just Stop Oil was widely condemned for painting some of the Stonehenge ancient stone circle orange, damaging rare delicate lichen.

In its wildest dreams, business aviation could not have picked a better role model. Swift uses business aviation to travel around the world in style, creating a gold rush in every country she performs in.

Sweden’s core inflation rose by 3% in May, with many blaming this on cash brought into the country by Swift’s fans (her friend Beyoncé also did this last May). A Bloomberg survey of economists estimated that just the five concerts in Singapore added between $225m and $300m (SGD400m) to the country’s economy.

Nomura estimates that the 53 concerts that made up the first US portion of the Eras Tour generated $5bn and raised US GDP by 0.02%. Ticket prices rose so high that many American fans are flying around the world to watch her.

We know all too well that this economic argument will not satisfy business aviation’s critics. At Corporate Jet Investor London green activists and politicians argued that business jets should be banned because of inequality as much as environmental effects (and that the two are linked – see below). It is champagne problems as much as carbon. There is nothing new about this argument.

“I think that’s where we should focus our attention in terms of conversation, as opposed to trying to fight off either those early adapters or the naysayers,”

At EBACE Michael Amalfitano, president of Embraer Executive Jets, said the industry should focus on winning the argument outside minorities. “You start to see the movable middle. I think that’s where we should focus our attention in terms of conversation, as opposed to trying to fight off either those early adapters or the naysayers,” he said. “It’s education. It’s collaboration.” The industry needs to fill that blank space.

Swift already buys carbon credits, but there is also the opportunity to publicise Sustainable Aviation Fuel. In 2019 Coldplay, a UK popular music group, said it would stop touring because of sustainability concerns. The band’s cardigan-wearing fans were delighted when it re-started concerts in 2022 after agreeing a deal with Neste to use SAF made from used cooking oil on its flights (not everyone agreed).

By targeting the enchanted Swift and her fans, protestors have pushed Amalfitano’s middle towards business aviation’s greatest ambassador. Ironically, one of the arrested protestors actually met Swift on a past UK tour. She knew better than to try to disrupt a concert. There would have been bad blood everywhere.

PS: Real Swifties should be able to spot at least 22 song titles in this piece.

The Green Party, Possible and Safe Landing were invited to Corporate Jet Investor London 2024 to explain why they believe that business jets should be banned. They did not hold back.

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M-SEXY

Photo: Alud Davies

The registration on this Tel Aviv based Legacy 650 speaks for itself…

Nissan’s G650

Photo: Stian Haabeth

The registration N155AN spells out the Japanese car manufacturer’s name in alpha-numerals.

Taylor Swift’s Falcon 900

Photo: Liam Duffy / Liam763

Country music stars love private aviation – and Taylor Swift is no exception. One of her aircraft – a Falcon 900 – is registered N898TS. The 89 makes reference to her birth year (1989), with the ‘8’ standing for the number of number one singles she had had when she bought the aircraft. The TS obviously stands for her initials.

Magic Johnson’s G-III

Photo: Peachair Aviation Photography

L.A. Lakers legend Magic Johnson owns a Gulfstream III with the registration N32MJ. Thirty two was his jersey number throughout his career, and MJ stands for his initials – a common trend with celebrities who own jets.

Abercrombie and Fitch G-V

The clothing brand owns a stylish, all grey Gulfstream V, registered N1892 – the year the company was founded.

AT&T

Photo: Brian T Richards

AT&T was formerly called Southwestern Bell – accounting for the SB in the aircraft’s registration. The 906 simply represents the area code for Michigan, which is one of many that AT&T serves. The 906 has formed part of AT&T aircraft registrations since the 1980s.

Kenny Chesney’s Falcon 900EX

Photo: Glen Novitsky- Nashville Aviation Photographers

Country singer Kenny Chesney owns a Falcon 900EX with N7KC as its registration. Again, KC stands for the singer’s initials. The 7 goes back to Chesney’s sporting days – representing his jersey number from when he played football at Gibbs High School.

John Deere G550

Arguably one of the nicest private jets around, the paint scheme on this G550 incorporates the famous John Deere green. The 550 in the registration refers to the aircraft type, with JD standing for John Deere. The top of the left engine cowling also has the John Deere signature.

RBS’ Falcon 900EX

Photo: Mark Van Drunen/FOKKER AIRCAFT

This aircraft has some controversy surrounding it. Royal Bank of Scotland did not acknowledge it owned the aircraft, and went as far as to base it in Paris to draw less attention to it. But the registration was a bit of a giveaway… G-RBSG makes obvious reference to the bank, with the last G rumoured to stand for Goodwin – the surname of the bank’s then CEO, Sir Fred Goodwin. RBS have since sold the aircraft.

If you missed the first article on aircraft registrations, you can read it here.

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