Elton John’s private jet allowed to land in Sydney past flight curfew

Elton John has been given the VIP treatment on the tarmac with his private jet on the “list of exempt aircraft” allowed to operate outside curfew, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

Not even Sydney’s controversial curfew can ground the Rocket Man.

Elton John has been given the VIP treatment on the tarmac with his private jet on the “list of exempt aircraft” allowed to operate outside the curfew, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

His luxurious Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express touched down in Sydney at 00.44am on Sunday after playing his last Australian concert at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. That was almost two hours after the airport’s 11pm curfew shut out other flights.

The plane left Brisbane one hour nine minutes earlier, even then after Sydney’s curfew time.

“This person has been known to arrive after the curfew with other flights,” an aviation source said.

Elton leaves his plane after a post-curfew landing at Sydney Airport. Picture: Media Mode

The rock legend was also snapped getting off the plane, which he owns but which is operated by GAMA Aviation Ltd, after it touched down in down in Sydney at 11.50pm last Saturday, January 14.

One of the few rock stars to still own their own jet, Elton was photographed disembarking just after midnight wearing a purple tracksuit.

He has been flying his partner David Furnish, their children and others around the country including to Hamilton Island between Christmas and New Year.

There is nothing illegal about landing after Sydney’s controversial 11pm to 6am curfew if permission is granted by the federal Department of Infrastructure.

Elton John in Brisbane. Picture: Patrick Woods

The department on Sunday denied granting a specific curfew exemption to Elton John’s entourage but said a “list of approved business jets are permitted to operate during the curfew to provide connections not available on regular public transport flights due to curfew restrictions of traffic constraints.

“On average, there are 14 business jet movements per month during the curfew.”

The Bombardier BD-700-1A10 Global Express comes in under the types of exempt private jets.

State MP Jo Haylen, whose Summer Hill electorate cops aircraft noise and has been vocal in protesting curfew-busting flights, said on Sunday: “The curfew and the caps in place at Kingsford Smith Airport are part of a long standing bipartisan agreement to ensure that aircraft noise is fairly distributed across Sydney and so that inner westies can get some sleep.”

GAMA Aviation and Elton John’s management could not be contacted.

His tour promoter Michael Chugg was about to get into a plane to Christchurch, where Elton John plays this week, and said he had not heard about landing after the curfew: “I have no idea. I have not heard any word about that.”