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groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Ground the Planes
@groundtheplanes.bsky.social
590 followers 1.3K following 770 posts
Trump is attacking our democracy and breaking the systems that keep us safe. Boycott U.S. air travel until Congress fires him.

Take action: groundtheplanes.com
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groundtheplanes.bsky.social
So here's how screwed-over US consumers should respond:
BOYCOTT
November 10, 2025 at 5:51 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
And there you go—this is the **2nd straight shutdown** where an aviation crisis became the tipping point in negotiations.

Air travel is a crucial lever of power. It drives 5% of our GDP. We need to use it to force Trump out.

Our boycott is designed to do just that:

groundtheplanes.com
The reality is that moderate Democrats in particular were looking for an off-ramp from the shutdown, as the expiration of federal food assistance for tens of millions of people, and the compounding travel nightmare at airports across the country, increasingly weighed on them.
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
This is now the 2nd straight shutdown in which air travel has become the pain point. We've been begging folks to see this as a lever of power.

Problem is, right now it's only the 2 parties fighting over that lever, while we watch and feel helpless.

WE need to seize the lever.
What makes you think this boycott will work? The global air travel industry is projected to surpass $1 trillion in revenue in 2025. Many other leading industries depend on it. This gives airline workers and customers a lot of leverage. One important precedent here is Trump’s government shutdown in 2019. The AFA-CWA flight attendants’ union forced an end to that shutdown by threatening a members’ strike as well as a general strike. Fear of air travel disruptions made Trump fold once—it can do so again. Another key precedent is the COVID pandemic (a Trump-mismanaged disaster), which showed the economic impact of even temporary slowdowns in air travel. COVID also revealed that billionaires will try to prevent any disruption to travel or commerce, even during global catastrophes. They need a baseline of normality in order to grow their wealth and prevent popular backlash. Our boycott aims to shake up that normality.
November 9, 2025 at 11:52 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Absolute nightmare. This is why we're calling for a full U.S. air travel boycott until Trump is impeached and removed.

Call/email scripts here:

groundtheplanes.com/takeaction
The U.S. has seen a string of aviation disasters in the months since Trump and Musk forced out the FAA leader and other key officials. Absurdly, Trump blamed one of these disasters on DEI programs. His bigoted excuses and dangerous firings have caused a crisis of confidence in American air travel. His xenophobic threats and crackdowns, including at airports, have deterred millions of tourists from flying here. [AIRLINE] must speak out now, because people do not feel safe flying under Trump’s leadership. I will personally be relying on other forms of transportation until Congress removes Trump.
October 29, 2025 at 11:24 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
When we first wrote this in Jan., it may have struck some people as over the top, but we meant every word
Finally, the phrase “Ground the Planes” invokes the emergency measures taken during other national crises, such as 9/11 and the COVID pandemic. It reflects the reality that U.S. democracy is under threat—from a powerful fascist movement—and that we can’t continue business as usual until the threat ends.
October 23, 2025 at 2:04 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Something like Gene Sharp’s “From Dictatorship to Democracy” provides a pretty coherent and feasible view of how it could end. And Sharp himself cites a long tradition. Hope writers like Donegan will engage more closely with those ideas and with groups putting them into practice.
Moira Donegan ‪@moiradonegan.bsky.social‬ Follow (This seems to be the general hope of Trump opponents; few of them have a coherent or feasible alternative view of how Trumpism will end.)
October 5, 2025 at 5:25 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Yeah, it's Nazi shit. Let's treat fascism like the national emergency it is.

groundtheplanes.com/faq
Why an air travel boycott? Our boycott reflects the need for bold action to end the tyrannical Trump administration. Economic noncooperation, such as boycotts and strikes, has featured in many successful protest movements over the years. We’ve chosen a flying boycott because it: (1) can be sustained long-term (2) involves spending that’s often discretionary (3) has strong potential for economic impact (4) has climate benefits (5) relates directly to Trump’s and Musk’s abuses of power. What about people who have to fly because _____? We’re here to encourage participation, not stigmatize non-participation. We do hope that millions of Americans will see this as a sacrifice worth making. Americans of the WWII generation made many sacrifices—rationing consumer goods, going to work in factories, laying down their lives—to stop fascism abroad. Changing travel plans would be a small price to pay for stopping fascism here. We hope you’ll do it with pride.
September 3, 2025 at 1:11 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Not asking for martyrdom - just temporary, strategic sacrifice of a discretionary purchase. Won't be everyone's thing, but we appreciate everyone who chooses to participate.
What about people who have to fly because _____? We’re here to encourage participation, not stigmatize non-participation. We do hope that millions of Americans will see this as a sacrifice worth making. Americans of the WWII generation made many sacrifices—rationing consumer goods, going to work in factories, laying down their lives—to stop fascism abroad. Changing travel plans would be a small price to pay for stopping fascism here. We hope you’ll do it with pride.
August 26, 2025 at 12:47 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
When we stage mass protests that actually disrupt things.

Which means making sacrifices.
What about people who have to fly because _____? We’re here to encourage participation, not stigmatize non-participation. We do hope that millions of Americans will see this as a sacrifice worth making. Americans of the WWII generation made many sacrifices—rationing consumer goods, going to work in factories, laying down their lives—to stop fascism abroad. Changing travel plans would be a small price to pay for stopping fascism here. We hope you’ll do it with pride.
August 24, 2025 at 1:05 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
1) This trend piece is a good sign
2) The excuse below needs to get mocked so hard. The same Dems who brag about "bipartisanship" & "reaching across the aisle" want us to believe those things are impossible when it comes to ousting a fascist
3) So they could go right to a vote? Great, let's do that
That lawmaker said impeachment should only be pursued after holding a committee investigation and hearings — and that won’t happen until Democrats win back the majority. “If you respect the process here, you don’t go right to an impeachment vote,” the lawmaker said. “You go through a process, and then you have an impeachment vote. So let’s go through that process.”
July 16, 2025 at 5:06 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
These disappearances rely on the aviation system - they can't mass deport without planes and airports. So that's what we should boycott.

Join NO FLY JULY: groundtheplanes.com
NO FLY JULY Millions worldwide are boycotting U.S. air travel. Time for Americans to join in— and force Trump out. July 2025 | groundtheplanes.com
July 11, 2025 at 8:32 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Has @flyingwithsara.bsky.social seen this? Her union represents workers crewing some of those "deportation planes." This fascist hatemongering is so grossly at odds with the values she and AFA-CWA represent. We hope to see a strong response soon.
[Propaganda post on "X" from DHS] Homeland Security @DHSgov FIRE UP THE DEPORTATION PLANES! [Image of a weightlifting skeleton with text: MY BODY IS A MACHINE THAT TURNS ICE FUNDING INTO MASS DEPORTATIONS]
July 10, 2025 at 8:26 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Americans: let's make the effect even more massive

(Airline contact info: groundtheplanes.com/takeaction)
Airline Email Template Dear [AIRLINE], As a longtime [AIRLINE] flier, I’m calling on your company to speak out against the Trump administration, including its terrible record on aviation safety. As Trump and Elon Musk assert unprecedented control over the airline industry—and unconstitutional influence over other areas of industry and government—[AIRLINE] should lobby for an immediate end to this lawless presidency. The U.S. has seen a string of aviation disasters in the months since Trump and Musk forced out the FAA leader and other key officials. Absurdly, Trump blamed one of these disasters on DEI programs. His bigoted excuses and dangerous firings have caused a crisis of confidence in American air travel. His xenophobic threats and crackdowns, including at airports, have deterred millions of tourists from flying here. [AIRLINE] must speak out now, because people do not feel safe flying under Trump’s leadership. I will personally be relying on other forms of transportation until Congress removes Trump. Thanks very much for your time. Sincerely, [NAME]
July 7, 2025 at 6:13 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Our strategies are informed by the anti-apartheid movement among others, and focus on an industry linked to the abuses of this regime. (No mass deportation flights without airlines and airports.)

Hope you'll look into and support what we're doing: groundtheplanes.com/about
Why an air travel boycott? Our boycott reflects the need for bold action to end the tyrannical Trump administration. Economic noncooperation, such as boycotts and strikes, has featured in many successful protest movements over the years. We’ve chosen a flying boycott because it: (1) can be sustained long-term (2) involves spending that’s often discretionary (3) has strong potential for economic impact (4) has climate benefits (5) relates directly to Trump’s and Musk’s abuses of power. Those abuses include Musk’s mass firing of FAA workers and Trump’s depraved response to the D.C. air collision of January 29, which he blamed on “DEI” in a typical display of callousness, bigotry, and dishonesty. More recently, Musk has moved to control and profit off the FAA despite his conflicts of interest. Already, the Trump/Musk rollbacks of oversight and regulation have undermined U.S. air safety, as confirmed by FAA workers and unions like PASS. During the same stretch, the U.S. has seen a notable string of air disasters. Boycotts of transportation have a distinguished history: the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the economic boycott of apartheid South Africa (which included a U.S. ban on incoming air traffic) are just two famous examples. Recent “Tesla Takedown” boycotts have been making waves, too. Finally, the phrase “Ground the Planes” invokes the emergency measures taken during other national crises, such as 9/11 and the COVID pandemic. It reflects the reality that U.S. democracy is under threat—from a powerful fascist movement—and that we can’t continue business as usual until the threat ends.
July 6, 2025 at 6:07 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
6/ Finally, re: visibility—that's where you can help! "You" as in anyone reading this. Share out our links, graphics, call scripts. Call/email Congress, airlines, unions. Spread the word, urge others to join.

Boycotting air travel is a small sacrifice—but a powerful one.

bsky.app/profile/paul...
NO FLY JULY Millions worldwide are boycotting U.S. air travel. Time for Americans to join in— and force Trump out. July 2025 | groundtheplanes.com Tell Congress to Act - Impeach and Remove Trump or We Refuse to Fly [GROUND THE PLANES logo]
July 4, 2025 at 10:47 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
4/ The economic and social ripple effects of a flying boycott would be huge. This is explained elsewhere on our feed and on our site FAQ, which also addresses your concern that a boycott "would impose harms on other innocent parties - airline workers," etc.

bsky.app/profile/grou...
What makes you think this boycott will work? The global air travel industry is projected to surpass $1 trillion in revenue in 2025. Many other leading industries depend on it. This gives airline workers and customers a lot of leverage. One important precedent here is Trump’s government shutdown in 2019. The AFA-CWA flight attendants’ union forced an end to that shutdown by threatening a members’ strike as well as a general strike. Fear of air travel disruptions made Trump fold once—it can do so again. Another key precedent is the COVID pandemic (a Trump-mismanaged disaster), which showed the economic impact of even temporary slowdowns in air travel. COVID also revealed that billionaires will try to prevent any disruption to travel or commerce, even during global catastrophes. They need a baseline of normality in order to grow their wealth and prevent popular backlash. Our boycott aims to shake up that normality. Will this boycott hurt the economy? Four more years of Trump’s corruption threatens the economy far more than a single boycott. Will this boycott hurt airline workers? Trump is already endangering airline workers’ lives and livelihoods. We hope their unions will consider striking in solidarity with this boycott. After all, it was the AFA-CWA’s threatened strike in 2019 that helped inspire this protest in the first place.
July 4, 2025 at 10:47 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Our email template for airline feedback forms. More resources here:

groundtheplanes.com/takeaction
Airline Email Template Dear [AIRLINE], As a longtime [AIRLINE] flier, I’m calling on your company to speak out against the Trump administration, including its terrible record on aviation safety. As Trump and Elon Musk assert unprecedented control over the airline industry—and unconstitutional influence over other areas of industry and government—[AIRLINE] should lobby for an immediate end to this lawless presidency. The U.S. has seen a string of aviation disasters in the months since Trump and Musk forced out the FAA leader and other key officials. Absurdly, Trump blamed one of these disasters on DEI programs. His bigoted excuses and dangerous firings have caused a crisis of confidence in American air travel. His xenophobic threats and crackdowns, including at airports, have deterred millions of tourists from flying here. [AIRLINE] must speak out now, because people do not feel safe flying under Trump’s leadership. I will personally be relying on other forms of transportation until Congress removes Trump. Thanks very much for your time. Sincerely, [NAME]
July 4, 2025 at 1:01 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
NO FLY JULY HAS BEGUN!

Angry that airlines are assisting in deportations?
Worried about safety due to FAA cuts?
Saving $ in Trump's rotten economy?
Determined to go green even if the GOP won't?

Skip flying this month—and tell Congress & the airlines you want change:

groundtheplanes.com/takeaction
NO FLY JULY Millions worldwide are boycotting U.S. air travel. Time for Americans to join in— and force Trump out. July 2025 | groundtheplanes.com
July 1, 2025 at 5:46 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Yes! And don't forget NO FLY JULY for the full month
NO FLY JULY Millions worldwide are boycotting U.S. air travel. Time for Americans to join in— and force Trump out. July 2025 | groundtheplanes.com
June 30, 2025 at 1:24 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Or we could ALL stop doing business with airlines until the fascism ends:
Tell Congress to Act - Impeach and Remove Trump or We Refuse to Fly
June 29, 2025 at 5:58 AM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Commit to NO FLY JULY
NO FLY JULY Millions worldwide are boycotting U.S. air travel. Time for Americans to join in— and force Trump out. July 2025 | groundtheplanes.com
June 27, 2025 at 11:23 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Calls to reps are great. But we need more leverage than calls alone can provide. That's where boycotting comes in:
Our boycott reflects the need for bold action to end the tyrannical Trump administration. Economic noncooperation, such as boycotts and strikes, has featured in many successful protest movements over the years. We’ve chosen a flying boycott because it: (1) can be sustained long-term (2) involves spending that’s often discretionary (3) has strong potential for economic impact (4) has climate benefits (5) relates directly to Trump’s and Musk’s abuses of power.
June 27, 2025 at 8:07 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
You're right. I hope you'll join and amplify peaceful protests that match the scale of the threat. Thanks in advance.
Donald Trump is attacking our democracy—again. He tried a coup in 2021, unconstitutionally returned to office, and is now trying another coup with the help of Elon Musk. How can Americans fight back? Marches and call campaigns are a start, but we’ve seen they’re not enough. This time, we need peaceful resistance on a scale that matches the threat. We need protests that disrupt the status quo, allow for mass participation, and mirror the emergency measures taken during other major crises. Trump and Musk’s meddling in aviation has shown a way to do all this: boycott air travel. Not just for a day or week, but until Congress removes them from power. Cancel nonessential flights. Find alternative transportation. Let airlines and politicians know you’re boycotting and why. Don’t let fascists wreck your government—take a stand with us. It’s time to “Ground the Planes.”
June 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
Start treating fascism as the national emergency it is. Join us.

groundtheplanes.com
NO FLY JULY Millions worldwide are boycotting U.S. air travel. Time for Americans to join in—and force Trump out. July 2025 | groundtheplanes.com
June 8, 2025 at 9:22 PM
groundtheplanes.bsky.social
When the economy runs on corruption, the way out is economic noncooperation. Please help advocate for protests that will give us the leverage we need over Congress AND Trump.
What makes you think this boycott will work? The global air travel industry is projected to surpass $1 trillion in revenue in 2025. Many other leading industries depend on it. This gives airline workers and customers a lot of leverage. One important precedent here is Trump’s government shutdown in 2019. The AFA-CWA flight attendants’ union forced an end to that shutdown by threatening a members’ strike as well as a general strike. Fear of air travel disruptions made Trump fold once—it can do so again.
May 25, 2025 at 11:37 PM