WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 10, 2025 — As the Federal Aviation Administration braces for a nationwide flight halt this weekend due to the ongoing government shutdown, a group of wealthy Americans is demanding what they call a simple rule of fairness, saying ground the billionaires first.
Patriotic Millionaires, an organization of high-net-worth individuals advocating for a fairer economy, points to a glaring imbalance. Millions of ordinary Americans face delays and cancellations while private jets, roughly one in six flights the FAA handles, continue to operate without disruption. Private jet owners contribute only about two percent of airspace funding, yet their flights produce emissions roughly ten times higher per passenger than commercial airlines.
Filmmaker and philanthropist Abigail Disney, a longtime member of Patriotic Millionaires who has publicly renounced private jet travel, says the situation exposes privilege in action. Stephen Prince, founder of Card Market, Inc., and vice chair of Patriotic Millionaires, sold his jet after recognizing the climate and equity costs of private aviation. Morris Pearl, former BlackRock managing director and chair of Patriotic Millionaires, argues that private flyers should be last in line, not first in privilege.
Private Jets Take Off While Workers Get Grounded
Billionaires in the Air, Everyone Else on Hold: “This is not just about delayed flights,” says Morris. “It is about who gets to move freely and who bears the cost of dysfunction. Federal workers are grounded and frustrated while some of the wealthiest Americans continue to fly at will.”
Carbon Costs and Tiny Contributions: Patriotic Millionaires is also advocating for the FATCAT tax, a proposed hike in business-jet fuel taxes that would not affect 99 percent of Americans. They see it as a commonsense measure to hold the wealthiest travelers accountable while maintaining fairness for ordinary passengers.
Fairness in Flight and Beyond
The aviation shutdown is a window into a broader economic problem. Elon Musk’s trajectory toward becoming the world’s first trillionaire plays out against widespread financial insecurity for millions of Americans. The contrast highlights a system in which extraordinary wealth and privilege protect a few from challenges that affect the majority.
Erica Payne, founder and president of Patriotic Millionaires, expands the conversation beyond air travel. She emphasizes how billionaire influence, from Musk’s fortunes to lobbying and political capture in Washington, shapes a country where every day Americans struggle. Payne argues that Democrats’ path to the 2026 elections runs through working people, with policies like the America 250 Money Agenda that raise wages, reform the tax code, and shift burdens from ordinary workers onto the ultra-rich.
For Erica, Abigail, Prince, and Morris, the FAA shutdown is more than an operational issue. It is a symbol of a larger crisis in fairness and accountability. In the fight over airspace, they say, the stakes mirror those playing out across the nation: who moves freely, and who is left stranded.
Patriotic Millionaires urge policymakers, regulators, and the public to consider the inequities the shutdown reveals and take steps to prevent luxury and wealth from overriding fairness. Grounding private jets first and implementing measures like the FATCAT tax, they argue, would ensure that disruptions are shared more equitably and that responsibility is not reserved for the few.
As millions of Americans prepare for flight cancellations and delays this weekend, Patriotic Millionaires say it is time to recognize that the current system prioritizes privilege over fairness and that concrete steps can correct the imbalance.
This is not just about delayed flights. It is about who gets to move freely and who bears the cost of dysfunction. Federal workers are grounded while some of the wealthiest Americans continue to fly at will.
Inputs from Diana Chou
Editing by David Ryder
