Posted on 11/21/2008 9:03:20 AM PST by Sub-Driver
GM to return two leased jets amid criticism By Poornima Gupta Poornima Gupta 12 mins ago
DETROIT (Reuters) – General Motors Corp will return two of its leased corporate jets amid intense criticism in Washington this week on the luxury travel arrangements of its chief executive even as the company pleads for federal aid.
CEO Rick Wagoner was in the capital to testify on the company's dire financial situation but his testimony was overshadowed by irate lawmakers who blasted him for flying on a private jet to ask for public funds and failing to make personal sacrifices in exchange for federal assistance.
Chief executives from Ford Motor Co, and Chrysler LLC, who were also there to plead for $25 billion in federal aid, came under fire too for flying to Washington in private jets.
GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said on Friday GM decided to return the aircraft because of a "really aggressive cutback in travel."
The company, which is in a cost-cutting mode, is scrutinizing every trip, he said, but declined to disclose the name of the company it leases the airplanes from.
Wilkinson said the decision to return the leased corporate jets was made before this week's hearings and that the company in September returned two other of the seven jets it had at the beginning of the year.
"There is a perception issue," Wilkinson said of Wagoner's travel to Washington on a private jet. "We need to be very sensitive to that going forward."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I don’t understand all the criticism from government bow wows. GM execs are acting just they do.
Truth be told, these CEOs can't trust the commercial aviation industry to get them there on time or at a specific time. And their time is money.
What they will do is purchase the services of NetJets or the like.
Don't fall for the class warfare stuff.
I would think the government would want to set an example. Pelosi and others you need to return your private jets. Maybe you can walk or hire a Yugo.
Really. Didn’t Barry use a chartered full size jet to visit his dying grandma in Hawaii.
Really. Didn’t Barry use a chartered full size jet to visit his dying grandma in Hawaii. Doesn’t Gore fly all over the world in a jet condemning the use of fossils fuels and how it’s destroying our planet. Hypocrits.
If your begging the federal government for MY tax dollars you should be crawling on your hands and knees from detroit to capitol hill.
How many jets do they lease any way. What’s wrong with commercial travel! Does Gm not have computers???
Yes; It was Airfarce One.
Same thing I was thinking. Senators flying all over the country on jets, Pelosi wanted a commercial-sized plane, and yet they wag their fingers at private sector execs doing the same thing.
“I’m going to guess that they weren’t private jets. Company owned, yes.”
Well I think that the was the point...the negative perception it evoked that they arrived on two company owned jets. They went to DC to ask for money yet has jet airplanes are their disposal?
“There is a perception issue,”
LOLOL!!! Ya think...????
Kinda like “wardrobe malfunction”!
“...flying on a private jet to ask for public funds and failing to make personal sacrifices in exchange for federal assistance....” - They simply forgot just how costly this was so they apologized...all is well.
I suppose I could accept that. Had these aspiring welfare queens driven to DC in one of their poorly-built, junky vehicles they might not have made it.
what kind if human specimen we have for president ?
Re: Truth be told, these CEOs can’t trust the commercial aviation industry to get them there on time or at a specific time
No. Truth be told, these CEO’s feel entitled to take whatever they can.
Class warfare? We have a bunch of people who have redefined their consumption as production, and the cost of their consumption as business expenses. And the percs are overseen by company directors who are feeding at the same trough.
Business executives are getting the bad press for this now, but top officials at universities and foundations are in it too. Likewise the pols.
Too bad. Tell them to use a telephone, or take a Greyhound to their meetings.
In addition, elected government officials at all levels should be paid minimum wage for the honor of serving. We'll take care of their meals, and boarding. They can sleep in small college type dorms, and a tax paid Econo-van will pick them up and take them to and from the office. No limos, no jets.
We'll be sure to randomly drug test politicians at all levels, and conduct on-going investigations into their personal finances, just to keep them honest.
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