Oxfam: The true cost of luxury travel

Creative agency Eleven has joined forces with Oxfam to create a bold new campaign film that highlights the staggering environmental cost of luxury travel. The film, directed by Eleven, introduces ‘Unfairways.com‘ - a fictional luxury airline for the super-rich.
Using stark comparisons, the film spotlights how the ultra-wealthy’s extravagant lifestyles are wreaking disproportionate damage on the planet while people living in poverty – who have done the least to cause the climate crisis – are suffering the most from its devastating impacts. Through a satirical lens, the film makes a serious call for urgent government action – to increase taxes on private jets and superyachts to help ensure that those most responsible for climate destruction pay their fair share.
The use of private jets and superyachts is on the rise, and with it, their emissions. To put things into perspective, the average UK citizen would need 11 years to produce the same carbon emissions as a single private jet flight from London to New York. Despite this, there are still very few taxes or regulations in place to address the damage to people and planet caused by this kind of elite travel.
The campaign highlights the extreme inequality fuelling the climate crisis and calls on the UK and Scottish Governments to take decisive action. By properly taxing private jets and super yachts, Oxfam calculates that up to £2 billion could have been raised in the UK last year to help support communities suffering the worst impacts of climate change.
Natalie Shortall, Oxfam GB Climate Justice Policy Adviser, said: “Further steps to better tax extreme wealth are needed to accelerate climate action and fight inequality and increasing taxes on highly polluting luxuries like private jets and superyachts as highlighted in this film is an obvious place for the Government to start.
“These are the kind of common-sense solutions that are urgently needed to quickly and fairly reduce emissions and raise crucial climate finance – by making the biggest and richest polluters pay.”
Dan Muir, Eleven’s Head of Creative added: “Our ‘Unfairways.com’ concept creates deliberate tension through juxtaposition to deliver a powerful message. By exposing the environmental impact of luxury travel with a satirical approach we’ve created a film that’s not only bold and memorable but highlights the urgency of Oxfam’s call for taxes on luxury travel.”