Some have offered an alternate explanation for Musk’s fleeting trip
Elon Musk has come under fire yet again after using his private jet to embark on a journey that lasted less than ten minutes.
The tech mogul travelled 35-miles from San Jose to San Francisco while aboard his private plane. His whole journey lasted a grand total of nine minutes, according to Twitter users tracking his movements.
The flight took place on May 6, but it was only in the last few days that flight trackers brought the journey to light. Satellite maps now circulating social media show the plane’s flight path, and have sparked outrage amongst angry critics concerned about the huge carbon footprint musk is leaving behind.
Some pointed out how Musk, head of electric car company Tesla, could’ve taken a local commuter train from San Francisco to San Jose, which only would’ve required travelling five stops.
The car journey between two airports would’ve also only taken 40 minutes, depending on traffic.
Private jets have been found to emit two tonnes of CO2 in just one hour and are five to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes, according to Transport & Environment.
“I literally have no words,” one Musk critic wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, some have offered an alternate explanation for the super short trip.
The plane was likely just being “repositioned” — as in the plane was sitting at one airport and then was moved to a different airport to pick up its passengers. This happens all the time. Planes often sit at a less busy airport and then fly to another one close by.
— Andrew Ross Sorkin (@andrewrsorkin) August 21, 2022
New York Times editor and CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin wrote: “The plane was likely just being ‘repositioned’ — as in the plane was sitting at one airport and then was moved to a different airport to pick up its passengers.
“This happens all the time. Planes often sit at a less busy airport and then fly to another one close by.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time Musk has been caught out making quick trips above the clouds. Last year, 19-year-old student Jack Sweeney created the Twitter account @ElonsJet, dedicated solely to keeping an eye on Musk’s journeys.
The tech mogul didn’t react well to this at all, and offered the student $5,000 to take the account down. Feeling bold, Sweeney asked Musk to ramp it up to $50,000, but Musk said it didn’t “feel right” to pay him and stopped replying.
The news comes as numerous super-rich celebs face backlash for taking short flights. Kylie Jenner came under fire for a social media post in which she bragged about having to choose which private jet to take in July.
Tracking data online has since appeared to indicate that the billionaire, 24, used her jet to make a journey that lasted just three minutes.
Just remembered how Kylie Jenner uses her private jet to make 3 minute flights pic.twitter.com/ERNcL1XuO5
— Emily Murnane (@emily_murnane) July 17, 2022
A report released by Yard in July showed that Taylor Swift had taken 170 flights on her private plane since January. Racking up more than 22,923 minutes in the air, which equates to nearly 16 days, Swift’s average flight time is around 80 minutes.
The singer later responded, through a mouthpiece that is, and told Rolling Stone that it’s not just her fault.
“Taylor’s jet is loaned out regularly to other individuals,” a spokesperson said. “To attribute most or all of these trips to her is blatantly incorrect.”
Other notable names on the list include Jay Z, country singer Blake Shelton, director Steven Spielberg, Kim Kardashian, Mark Wahlberg, Oprah and Travis Scott.
Related links:
- Kylie Jenner has been using her private jet to take 12 minute flights
- Pictures show Angelina Jolie’s alleged injuries ‘sustained during fight with Brad Pitt’
- Taylor Swift responds to criticism after report claims she has highest private jet emissions
