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Here's one that people are also trying to blame on executives at the Big Three automakers -- the private aviation industry is hurting. Can you hear the violins starting?
Reportedly, corporate "giants ranging from Bank of America to Time Warner are grounding planes," thanks to the faltering economy and public outcry.
How can this be traced back to the automakers? The public outrage really started when the CEOs of the automakers eschewed a more economical style of transport for the lush trappings of their private jets when they were headed to Capitol Hill.
According to the article, shipments of private jets are 7.1% lower and 12% of the private aviation manufacturing workforce has been laid off. In fact, Wichita, Kansas (known as the "Detroit of general aviation," who knew that?) has seen unemployment increase from 3.9% to 6.7% in the past year.
Experts who follow the aviation industry believe that this "misguided" backlash against corporate jets could have "grave repercussions." Charles Mayer, vice president of marketing at Hawker Beechcraft (the country's largest privately held aviation company), stated, "Corporate aviation has become a whipping boy . . . But it's crucial to the U.S. economy on several different levels."
Some will argue that flying commercial is more trouble than it is worth and there are "legitimate" reasons for the big companies to own private jets, but you have to convince a general public that is feeling the crunch of the current economic environment.
In fact, try telling the 1,800 people recently laid off from Starbucks that it is easier for the CEO to keep one of the company's three private jets than it is to allow them to keep their paychecks. I don't think the laid-off workers buy this excuse: "We're keeping one plane to provide safe, secure and efficient transportation of key Starbucks' employees, as well as accomplish travel that would not otherwise be possible using scheduled services . . . We believe this is an appropriate approach with regard to the current economic situation."
I'm not buying it, and I bet the laid off workers aren't either.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-13-2009 @ 4:54PM
Tom said...
Obviously the hypocrites in congress feel the need to avoid commercial airlines to get their important business done. As Pelosi travels back and forth from SF to DC each week on what is an Air Force version of a 737, at taxpayer expense, congress is apalled that executives may wish to avoid the nightmare of TSA security and the valuable time it consumes. Congress created that nightmare and now avoids having to be subject to its delays by taking Air Force jets to their destinations. Believe me, these execs and CEO's aren't flying around like some rich Saudi sheiks, but are merely trying to conduct business efficiently. Our pres., meanwhile, with a few poorly chosen comments has devastated an entire industry. Mark, I wish you would decline to write about topics you are admittedly naive about.(not knowing the importance of Wichita to GA). This country needs to understand General Aviation and the important role it serves