People Shouldn't Have Private Jets— Neither Should Corporations

Warner Bros has several private jets. When I ran Reprise Records, I could order one a day in advance and fly wherever I wanted go. I could just say to my secretary, “Ilene, can you call over to the studio and get me a jet for tomorrow morning. I’ll be going to New York with two guests. Remind them, only healthy snacks and vegan food.” But I never did that. Not even once. I’ll tell you why. I didn’t have to pay anything, but my division did. That would be $20-25 off our bottom line. Money that could be spent promoting and marketing our artists or in a bidding war or in the studio making an album…

One time there was a meeting in New York of divisional chairman and presidents. One of my friends, a president of another division, asked me when I was going. I said I had some things to do in New York and I was going to go three days before the meeting. “Me too,” he said. “I have a plane that day. Want to fly with me?” So I did. What a way to get the New York. Another time, our newly installed chairman decided to go over to Europe and meet all the heads of our companies in… let’s see if I can get this right: the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden. He brought half a dozen of us with him. We hopped from country to country on a private jet— so hassle-free. No customs either!

We were all just a bunch of working class or middle class guys who were lucky enough to have these amazing corporate jobs. I had an amazing time on that trip— we stayed at Cliveden, a palace near London, had dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower and lunch at the oldest restaurant in Madrid. 

But in the back of my mind, I felt guilty about all the money that it was costing the company, especially the plane. Who was I to be flying around Europe like that? The first time I went over there was in 1969 in a VW van I bought by selling hashish. I was so broke I had to pick up hitch-hikers who could pay for gas.

A few days ago Tina Brown wrote that you can understand the motives of our mercenary elite by flying on a private jet— There’s Nothing More Corrupting Than Flying Private. She’s wondered, as have I, what is “the pivotal moment when money changes people forever.” I’ve thought about it terms of precaution and prevention. I suspect Tina Brown has been on a lot more private jets than I have been. I used to be perfectly fine flying on a company-paid-for first class ticket or even on the Concorde, which was fast if not comfy.

A leading M&A lawyer once told me that corporate merger negotiations often run aground on a vague-sounding contractual term known as “the social issues.” The social issues are, primarily, the private plane. Can the exiting big shot still have use of it? How often? With how many co-passengers? No plane, no deal.

Historians searching for the real reason the Bidens clung to power too long may look no further than the looming loss of Air Force One. After flying private a few times with gilded friends, I am convinced it’s the single most seductive experience in the world. You realize there is no one you wouldn’t kill, betray, or sleep with to ensure a lifetime of luxe relief from the armpit of mass transit.

The Obamas won’t even cross the road these days— or in Barack’s case, play a round of golf at a prestigious club— without the use of a private plane belonging to one of their billionaire circle. It is worth examining who did and did not make the cut at his notorious Martha’s Vineyard 60th birthday party in 2021 based on whether or not the guest in question could provide future access to wings. Obama’s lofty insertion into the 2024 campaign in Pittsburgh— scolding black men for not showing enough enthusiasm for Kamala Harris because, “Well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that”— can be attributed, I submit, to too much time spent gazing down at the world from the window of a Gulfstream. I will never forget catching sight of former vice president Al Gore, a month after his loss in the 2000 election, trundling his own wheelie bag toward the passenger welcome area at Newark Airport.

Unfortunately for those in public life, the allure of— no, the addiction to— flying private is full of hazards, a true satanic temptation from the mountaintop. As Clinton says in Citizen: “The bottom line is, even though it allowed me to visit the work of my foundation, traveling on Epstein’s plane was not worth the years of questioning afterward.” You bet. Name me the purehearted billionaire who wants nothing in return. There is no greater hazard than the offer of a Gulfstream to foster dubious associations with influence-seeking Saudi potentates, borderline Kazakh shysters, odious oligarchs, and the rest of the cast of incorrigibles— and land you on the cover of the New York Post.

Ugghhh… I guess she’s joking. I had dinner with a neuroscientist last night. He told me that a decline in the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, particularly dopamine, is linked to changes in behavior as people age. Dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in motivation and reward, is the chemical that makes people want to…he used the word “explore.” As people age, dopamine production and receptor sensitivity tend to decrease, which may contribute to reduced novelty-seeking behaviors and a preference for more familiar, comfortable environments— as in staying home. His point was that this reduction in dopamine can lead to less motivation to engage in exploratory activities, which may explain why older individuals sometimes show a preference for staying home rather than seeking out new experiences. He said there were several ways to get around this, like physical exercise which stimulates dopamine production, a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, quality sleep, social Interaction, cognitive stimulation (even if it’s just doing puzzles or reading) and stress management (including things like yoga and mediation). Oh, and one more thing: travel, especially to new places. Just sayin’.

I’m a big fan of  travel but private (and corporate) jets? No way. First of all they’re among the most carbon-intensive forms of transportation emiting significantly more greenhouse gases per passenger than commercial flights and, of course, contributing disproportionately to climate change. For instance, a private jet trip can emit as much carbon as an average person does in a year. The wealthiest 1% are responsible for a significant portion of global carbon emissions, with private jet travel being a very major contributor.

One of the things that made me so uncomfortable about it was that I always saw the use of private jets symbolizing the growing gap between the ultra-wealthy and the rest of society. While the rich enjoy unprecedented luxury, many people struggle with the most basic needs like healthcare, housing, even food and clean water. That private jet owners and corporations benefit from tax breaks and subsidies designed drives me up the wall. Fuel for private jets is taxed at a lower rate. Corporations— including Warner Bros— claim commitments to sustainability while executives travel on private jets, undermining their public messaging and at least potentially damaging their credibility. No matter what anyone says, private jets are not necessities; they’re over-the-top  luxuries. The convenience and the kind of prestige Brown was taking about do not justify their outsized environmental and economic costs, especially in a world facing climate crises and resource scarcity. It worries me that when the wealthy flaunt extravagant lifestyles, including private jets, it sets a precedent that reinforces consumerist and unsustainable aspirations among others. This distracts from more worthwhile societal goals like equity and sustainability.