A senior Air France pilot has resigned from his position, citing environmental guilt. I cannot recall a previous occasion in which a commercial pilot quit due to “eco-anxiety.” Let’s unpack what prompted this decision.
Air France Pilot Quits Job, Citing Environmental Guilt
Anthony Viaux has flown for Air France for 22 years, piloting a mix of Airbus A340 and A320 family aircraft. He recently took a two-year sabbatical from piloting and took to LinkedIn this week to announce that he will not return to Air France. In a lengthy post written in French, he walks us through his dream of becoming a pilot from a young age but how during his sabbatical he realized “the only solution I found was to take stock and try to lighten a little the weight of the eco-anxiety that was gnawing at me.”
Lamenting that aircraft production is set to double in the next 15 years, he shares of his conversion to environmentalism and how his commitment of that cause has made it impossible for him to continue flying for Air France:
But these days, each flight and its magic comes at a high price, the tanks of my Airbus not being filled with words or dreams, but with oil, intended to be burned.
Today my heart is heavy. To leave my colleagues, and because reaching the position of captain remains the holy grail of any pilot. Thank you to all those I have had the chance and the pleasure to meet over all these years, thank you to my crews, colleagues and friends for sharing all these moments in the four corners of the globe!
I really loved working at Air France. However, today I feel the pressing need to realign myself with my inner compass, which tells me that my convictions are no longer in line with this profession.
Of course, I am aware that my resignation will not save the planet of course, but burning thousands of liters of kerosene every time I went to work, I couldn’t do it anymore.
I am now heading towards other horizons: naturopathy, music, writing an essay on my experience as a pilot with regard to my ecological awareness, a podcast (“Health by nature”)…
He hopes to compose music and start a podcast with his newfound extra time.
What To Make Of This
As noted by One Mile At A Time, “We should do everything in our power to live in a way that aligns with our values.” Part of me commends this pilot for putting his money where his mouth is, even if it conveniently comes at a point in his career where he can now draw a pension after a few more years of doing whatever he will do next. Commercial pilots must retire by age 60 in France.
As a religious person myself, I can understand his zealous evangelical fervor and what a powerful conversion experience he had in concluding that his life lacked meaning as a slave to the sin he determined that flying represented.
While I believe worshiping Mother Nature is worshiping the wrong god, at least he can see the god that he trusts in.
I wish him the best going forward, but doubt he will find the meaning and peace he seeks in this particular cause.
From being a climate change denier, I recognize the Earth is changing and I think it’s a foregone conclusion at this point that industrialization in the developed and developing world is at least partially responsible.
However, the idea of cutting our way to “net zero” strikes me as fancifully naive as millions more enter the middle class in China and India each year. And let’s face it, what are you really willing to cut back?
I’m a big supporter of carbon capture and other research and development that can address this issue without asking folks to cut back because people are not willing to cut back…the drop in the bucket here and there will make no meaningful difference.
And how sad that the influencers who helped to guilt Viaux in this career change are more than likely stepping onto their private jets like crooked televangelists because they must more “efficiently” spread the “good news” of fighting carbon emissions.
CONCLUSION
Anthony Viaux has ended his 22-year career with Air France over environmental guilt and will now pilot a podcast instead of an Airbus A320. I wish him all the best in his new endeavor but find his latest career pivot tragic.
Don’t let the main cabin door hit you on the way out to collect your pension. This is the virtue signaling equivalent of a deathbed conversion.
@Chris +1 .
The Lord made the heaven and the earth . The Lord also made the earth’s geological and climate periods , which have varied over eons . I’ll trust in the Lord , thank you Monsieur Captaine .
On the other hand :
The “environmentalist movement” true believers are rather foolish if they think that corrupt human governments can re-make earth’s climate periods . I’ll never trust in Greta Thunberg hysterics nor her anti-Israel views .
This is absurd. I hope his podcast takes off and he writes a book that goes best seller. Why? Because he will be forced to go on a lecture circuit around the world and book signings/appearances. How will he get to these places? Via kayak and bike?
@Antwerp … +1 .
Podcasts do not require data centers. Data centers do not require a ton of energy. Do your part, bro.
I wonder if he should be on a suicide watch?
Does he use electricity? Eats beef and creates flatus (intestinal gas)? How about wine? ….unnecessary to drink, should drink water?
The guy is nuts.
It’s good that he quit, because he clearly has mental issues and is unwell.
I’m not quite prepared to go that far, but I do understand why you (and others) would think that.
@Jan: +1. Glad this nutjob won’t be flying anyone anymore. What a clown.
The man has a moral code that conflicted with his love of flying. Many fly and hope carbon capture in the future will absolve their sins. Maybe. Likely not. It’s just a way of avoiding facing up to the consequences of our lifestyle. Some say individually we can’t do anything and then we vote for governments who fail at the policy level. We are shameful. Bounced your children on your knee.
10 years in the nut house!
I admire this ‘man’s’ bravery. Very similar to WWII. French = Snowflake
The stereotype is real.
To think that this “pilot” has been flying for 22 years with thousands of lives in his trust is mind boggling –
Matthew, this started as a generally a respectful and balanced response, but the whole interjection on this guy worshipping mother nature as the “wrong god” really sounds out of whack.
If god created the earth for man…then how is being concerned about the health of the home god built for us somehow worhsipping the “wrong god”? Explain the logic for me there. If your idea of anything to do with the environment being separate from god then what kind of god are you worshipping?
As a non-religious person, dude you need to re-read Genesis. There’s a reason many christians are also environmentalists.
Sorry the above was meant to be an original comment. But to you
And did you know US navy has been one of the largest funders of climate change research since the 1950s?
It’s France. Does anybody else not think this is an obvious ploy to maintain his pension while retiring early? Guaranteed some tribunal will rule that he is entitled to full benefits due to his “condition.”
Ugh this post reeks of American bias and worldview. I think my favourite line in this post:
“the idea of cutting our way to “net zero” strikes me as fancifully naive as millions more enter the middle class in China and India each year. And let’s face it, what are you really willing to cut back?”
Actually, China has done a bang up job leading the world in green technology, and has lead to waves of solar uptake at insane rates in countries like Australia and Pakistan as well. All while, like you say, pulling millions of people out of poverty.
I understand that it’s a lot easier to throw your hands up and say, “they’re just as bad as me!” Nobody ever mistakenly expected that Americans would be willing to work more and receive less, but the rest of us have been working more in recent history, and are finally starting to receive the more that we deserve. And we’re doing it with lower environmental impact then the generations before us.
“Why should I try to cut my emissions while other countries are growing?” sounds a lot dumber when you take it out of the condescending tone.
Finally, an idea isn’t fancifully naive just because it’s beyond you.
What a silly non-sequitur.
China burns more coal than the rest of the world combined. China permits 100 gigawatts of new coal power projects each year, the equivalent of two large coal power plants per week.
“Oh, but they are doing it more efficiently.”
Spare me your ridiculous equivocations.
Bravo, Matthew!
Almost as bad as the German mental case that flew the plane into the Alps.
Did he quit because he considered it?
Matthew, this started as a generally a respectful and balanced response, but the whole interjection on this guy worshipping mother nature as the “wrong god” really sounds out of whack.
If god created the earth for man…then how is being concerned about the health of the home god built for us somehow worhsipping the “wrong god”? Explain the logic for me there. If your idea of anything to do with the environment being separate from god then what kind of god are you worshipping?
As a non-religious person, dude you need to re-read Genesis. There’s a reason many christians are also environmentalists.
What a bunch of triggered animals you all are.
I’ll start with you Matthew – “While I believe worshiping Mother Nature is worshiping the wrong god…” He doesn’t sound like he’s “worshipping” – he sounds pretty even keel and balanced. He doesn’t think this will change much, but he wants to “…realign myself with my inner compass.” That’s NOT worshipping. He’s just had enough, feels hypocritical for what he does and is calling it quits. (And P.S. the last thing I want to hear about on your luxury airline/travel blog is your religious beliefs. Be real.)
Meanwhile, everyone else, calling him unhinged and that he should be on suicide watch. The guy’s just making a statement. People have a right to reflect on their job and decide it’s not for them. Calm down. Nearly a billion tons of CO2 were emitted into our atmosphere because of airplanes this year – that can nag at you. So the guy quit. I imagine it happens in a lot of other types of people whose business doesn’t align with their values (health insurance, tobacco companies, gambling, arms manufacturing).
I read somewhere that he was planning to become a naturopath. Figures…
Climate change is a lie and liberalism is a mental disorder
What a moron.
Matthew, I unlike so many on both sides accept your view. I do disagree with it, yes no one wants to change their behavior, and yes you want to look at technology based solutions. However, once the low hanging fruit are gone, you do need to tax carbon and impact behavior even if it impacts standards of living. True, other countries are increasing their emissions, but they remain below us and countries like China are also leading us in renewal energy and battery electric vehicles.
To be clear, I’m with Gates who says you want to promote solutions that do not require behavioral change but that’s because the USA is a very self centered country with lots of selfish people. Go to Europe, and they are not just building out high speed rail, but bringing back sleeper trains. An important selling point of both is lower emissions compared to flying or driving. Ultimately, we need a mix of all available solutions if we are to bend the curve on increasing temperatures. Failure to do so will be costly too.