Greta Thunberg joins marchers in Farnborough Airport protest

Greta Thunberg has marched with activists to protest against an airport expansion.

Farnborough Airport has submitted plans to move from a cap of 50,000 to 70,000 flights per year.

The Hampshire airfield, which mainly serves private jets, said the change would meet demand for business trips.

But the protesters are calling for a total ban on private jets, which they say are up to 30 times more polluting than passenger airliners.

A demonstration organised by Extinction Rebellion Waverley and Borders began in Farnborough town centre and marched to the airport gates, setting off flares and joined by drummers.

Ms Thunberg said: "The fact that using private jets is both legally and socially allowed today in an escalating climate emergency is completely detached from reality.

"There are few examples that show as clearly how the rich elite is sacrificing present and future living conditions on this planet so they can maintain their extreme and violent lifestyles."

Todd Smith, an Extinction Rebellion spokesperson and co-founder of aviation workers group Safe Landing, said: "The cost of heating our homes, buying food and paying our bills has increased massively.

"So imagine looking out our windows to see yet more private jets flying billionaires around.

"Is this a fair society that we live in, or is there one set of rules for the majority, and another for the elites? Plans to expand the UK's largest private jet airport seem to make this clear."

Sarah Hart, 42, an office assistant from the town, said she was "utterly appalled at the airport's plan to expand when we should be banning private flying completely".

Farnborough Airport has calculated its plans would create 950 jobs in the south east of England and add £220m to the UK economy.

An airport spokesperson called it an "important gateway for business aviation connectivity with the majority of flights being operated for business and corporate travel purposes".

"The airport's environmental footprint is a fraction that of a traditional commercial airport, yet it serves as one of the largest employment sites in the region," they said.

The airport also cited its commitment to continually reducing its environmental impact, being part of "only one of a small number of UK airports" under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

But East Hampshire District Council has said the plans would undermine efforts to reduce carbon emissions and would increase noise pollution.

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