Free Republic

While Disney artists bring their imaginations to life through animation, Disney executives are living a lifestyle that animators can’t even begin to imagine. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Disney chief executive Bob Iger received a 7% pay increase in 2007 for a total financial compensation of $27.7 million. According to the company’s proxy statement, the breakdown is as follows: $2 million salary, which remained the same as 2006; a $13.7 million bonus, which was a decrease from his $15 million bonus in ‘06; stock awards totaling $7.9 million, and $740,000 for personal air travel, security and a car...

AIR passengers will be charged up to £40 extra for a return ticket within Europe to pay for the environmental impact of their journeys, under plans approved by the European Parliament yesterday. MEPs voted in favour of the “immediate introduction” of a tax on jet fuel for flights within the 25 member states of the EU. The charge would double the cost of millions of budget airline flights. They also accepted a recommendation for a special emissions trading scheme for the aviation industry, which would see airlines buying permits to cover their output of carbon dioxide. Aviation is the...

Airbus has increased the sale price of its A380 superjumbo, whose problems have triggered a management crisis at parent company EADS. Airbus said the price of all its models - including the A380 - rose two weeks ago in a standard annual increase. The disclosure of a six-month delay to delivery of the A380 has thrown its Franco-German parent firm into turmoil. The French government, a major investor in EADS, is under pressure to force management changes at the firm. 'Normal move' French finance minister Thierry Breton has met with senior managers and is expected to put forward measures to...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Colgate-Palmolive Co., which announced Tuesday it is eliminating 4,400 jobs, disclosed in a regulatory filing that many of its top executives and officers are given allowance of up to $11,500 a year to spend on anything from pet sitters to running shoes to karate lessons to movie rentals. ADVERTISEMENT The plan, called "Above and Beyond," was detailed in the consumer product company's quarterly filing in November with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The program has been in place since 1986 and covers 800 executives. Under the plan, executives and officers can ask for reimbursement for exercise...