Chichester Easy Jet pilot quits to join Just Stop Oil: "We are at the eleventh hour"

George Hibberd, 29, had a life-long dream of flying, and that dream became reality when he qualified in 2019. Four years on an George is working at the forefront of climate action group Just Stop Oil.

The group has made nations headlines for its activism – spreading the message about the climate crisis by scaling bridges, blocking motorways, and tossing soup at celebrated paintings.

For George, making the change was all about practising what you preach, speaking to Sussex World today, he said: "On paper it seems like this big change but in reality I’m just aligning my values. I had tried to align within Easy Jet by challenging my bosses but the harder I tried the harder they pushed back – it really impacted by mental health.

“The first shot across the bow was a phone call from the chief operating officer back in the summer of 2021. I’d been reported as they thought I was a threat to the industry, then the incidents starting repeating themselves.

"My colleagues and I were flying over wildfires every summer. I would say the majority of people [in the airline industry] are concerned about the climate crisis, and they know that the industry is lying to them.”

After making the change, George said he felt a mix of emotions, “I have wanted to be pilot for as long as I can remember. It was one of grief over what I’d lost and what we are losing to the climate crisis.

"Then there’s also somewhat relief that I have got my actions aligned with what I believe and I feel I am on the right side of history.

"We know our actions are uncomfortable and we are painted in a negative light by a large percentage of the media, but we know that our actions empower people. We have the power to do something about it and we can step on the right side of history.”

Last week, he was arrested for taking part in a peaceful protest in London.

Asked what his message is to people who feel negatively affected by the protests, George explained: “There’s no such thing as ‘our cause’ it’s everyone’s cause. This isn’t the first step and this isn’t the first thing that people have tried. They have done the non-disruptive stuff and it simply doesn’t work – we are at the eleventh hour.

"We have to look back at history and what people did. [The Suffragettes] were the most hated people of their time but we now look back at them as heroes. None of use want to get to that situation but what choice do we have?”

You can find out more about Just Stop Oil by visiting: www.juststopoil.org

The group is also holding a talk in Portsmouth next month at Buckland Community Centre, PO2 7BT

Wed 7th June 18:30 - Welcome Talk - How To Just Stop Oil- Portsmouth Tickets, Wed 7 Jun 2023 at 18:30 | Eventbrite