Love is in the air
Milan (Italy)/International, 2023

On Valentine’s Day 2023, as part of an international day of action with at least 16 protests targeting private jet airports across 11 countries, 13 activists took action at Milan’s Malpensa Prime terminal. The protest aligned with the Make Them Pay campaign’s three demands—ban private jets, tax frequent flyers, and make polluters pay—and aimed to expose the privileges of the super-rich, who disproportionately contribute to climate destruction. Although Malpensa is primarily a public airport rather than a major hub for private jets, its high profile made it a strategic choice, ensuring both media visibility and public awareness.

Timing

  • Valentine’s Day was chosen to highlight that private jets are frequently used for luxury rather than essential travel, adding weight to the demand for a ban on private jets.
  • This action aligned with the Make Them Pay campaign’s global push to expose the outsized responsibility of high-emission lifestyles for climate inequality.

Location

  • The protest took place at Milano Malpensa Prime, one of Italy’s most recognised airports. Although not primarily a private jet hub, it was chosen for its visibility and public recognition, making it a strategic location for raising awareness about the environmental toll of private aviation.
  • Targeting such a prominent airport emphasised the climate impact disparity between the super-rich and the general public, supporting calls for policy changes to address this inequality.

Type of Action

  • This was a high-risk, small-group action involving 13 activists who overcame the airport fence and entered the tarmac, where they glued themselves in front of private jets to obstruct their use.
  • The action operated on a minimal budget, covering one banner and a small number of flyers. Preparation lasted about two months, with several planning meetings, two scouting visits and a final briefing the day before the action.
  • One activist was stationed at a higher vantage point near the airport, using binoculars to identify jet locations, allowing the group to target their entry efficiently. Two groups participated: one inside the airport targeting jets directly and another at the main entrance displaying banners and distributing flyers.

Insights

  • The contrast between the super-rich’s environmental impact and the burdens on everyday people was central to the action’s framing, resonating well with the public and underscoring the injustice of private jet travel.

Obstacles

  • A key challenge was uncertainty regarding jet availability; the group didn’t know how many jets would be on-site, which increased the risk. Fortunately, there were multiple jets on the tarmac when they arrived.
  • Logistics also presented challenges, as securing access points and managing entry posed additional risks for the high-stakes action.

Strengths

  • The weakness of the airport fence allowed activists to enter quickly, simplifying the entry process.
  • The strategic use of two groups, with one focused on direct action and another on messaging and outreach at the entrance, strengthened the overall impact and reinforced the action’s core demands.

Lessons learned

  • Important tips for similar actions include wearing high-visibility jackets to blend in as airport staff, reducing suspicion.
  • Repairing the fence with plastic ties after entering reinforced the activists’ commitment to public safety.
  • Assigning a well-being support person to assist glued activists and having a designated individual with a whistle to signal for safety interruptions helped maintain the action’s security and organisation.