Ford, GM to Shut Down Flight Ops
from Aviation Week:
Quote:
Ford, GM to Shut Flight Ops
Ford Motor Co. and General Motors are closing their corporate flight departments as part of their proposals to obtain billions of dollars in emergency loans from the U.S. government. Congress criticized leaders of both companies last month for coming to Washington from Detroit in their respective business jets to appeal for federal money.
In announcing full details of its fiscal recovery plan yesterday, Ford said it was divesting itself of its five aircraft to improve its overall cash position.
Within the hour of its Dearborn-based competitor's announcement, Detroit's GM said that it was shutting its GMATS flight operation at Detroit's Metro Airport and vacating its facility there by Jan. 1. GM said it had sold two aircraft and was attempting to sell four others in order to terminate their leases. In any case, the company said it wants to transfer its aircraft to other companies and/or end its aircraft leases by Jan. 1. It said it was getting rid of its airplanes because, "GM travel volume no longer justifies a dedicated corporate aircraft operation." Kenneth E. Emerick, flight ops director of GM Worldwide Travel Services, is a former chairman of the National Business Aviation Association and remains a member of the association's board of directors.
Privately-held Chrysler, whose leaders were similarly criticized on Capitol Hill, does not own any aircraft, but rather charters or leases aircraft as needed, and, the company notes it tries to fly the aircraft as full as possible - including offering seats to sick children traveling to or from Detroit-area hospitals.
now that sucks. how many people out of work because the CEOs are tryng to recover from public ridicule. just in time for the holidays too!
