“remember that on a private jet you can actually do the work of a CEO. You’re not going to discuss the Chrysler merger or prepare for a congressional appearance by rehearsing in First Class”

That’s laughable! If you are only rehearsing an hour before landing, then no wonder the Big 3 are in the shape they are in. And would you be thinking about the Chrysler merger when you are on your way for a hand-me-down because your company has been in the red for quite some time and you are doing all your can to avoid bankruptcy? With all that said, I am sure Wagoner can find projects that don’t require a microphone or a stage to work on. No excuse there.

I understand the costs, the technicalities, the purpose, and all that. However, the impression these guys made could have been worth billions in financing and assistance. No salary is worth what they may have already lost. The statements I heard from The Media was that the “CEOs of the Big 3 arrived in Washington in their private jets holding their hands out for money”. That’s the impression they made, and the message that is being conveyed. Now they are going for a second chance, but they really blew the first one in the minds of many. It will be harder to convince Congress the second time. It will be more difficult to appease The Media and put The Media on the side of the Big 3. And, this shortsightedness could possibly have a negative effect on sales figures. Just one time they could have flown on public transportation, or flown together on the same plane, and the one time that could have made a difference, they failed. And in that regard, I agree 100% with JohnnyCanuck.

AMEN!

Do corporate aircraft cost a lot to operate? Of course they do. Besides gas and oil (and the initial purchase cost of the aircraft) here are just a few of the fixed and variable costs:
-salaries and recurrent training for pilots, engineers and dispatch
-parts inventory
-hangar costs both home and abroad
-maintenance programs (which increase proportionally based on the age of the aircraft)
-landing fees, navigation fees (Canada and Europe), ramp fees, customs fees, handling fees (Europe and outside North America)
-ground transportation, catering (you can eat at 5 star restaurants cheaper than what the average caterer charges for a cheese tray), aircraft grooming and ground servicing
-depreciation (and although the value of a particular model can fluctuate millions of dollars over a short period based on demand and availability you can sometimes get more than you paid initially even years later)

Are corporate aircraft worth it? Yes, and that may be biased because I know what they can do that no commercial carrier can. Have many of those who depend on corporate aircraft lost touch with reality? Maybe, but just remember that for every Boeing or Airbus bound to some vacation destination or business hub the corporate jet on the other side of the runway waiting for takeoff clearance with even just one person on board may be responsible for the livelihood of tenfold or more the number of passengers on the cattle car. Corporate aviation in its modern interpretation has been with us for more than a half century and it’s not going anywhere. It’s just another a business tool, nothing more and nothing less.

Now, does all this make what the big 2.5 execs did the other week in Washington any less ridiculous? Not a chance. Optics are everything, and no matter what the aircraft instruments might have said these guys were flying with zero visibility when it came to the big picture.

btw, Does Gary Ackerman take public transportation to work? Does he car pool his limo with fellow Democrats for sessions?

And I can guarantee I COULD do better … shows what you know … as much as ‘Payton’ evidently. Good on ya.

Exactly how do you suppose this 6am theory works for unscheduled activities of large groups? Remember, when these guys fly to DC, they aren’t traveling alone.

Executives like Wagoner, Mulally, and Maximum Bob have done a great job trying to turn around the monumental messes they were left with from prior management teams. I can guarantee you couldn’t do any better.

These CEOs, rather … TURDS, don’t deserve the money they make, so your math is fundamentally flawed. They are overpaid FAILURES.

Second, if you think ANYTHING productive happened on that plane ride, you may as well kill yourself as you are a write-off.

In any case, speaking of JETS, how about them NY JETS!!

**** GM, **** those jets, start taking responsibility for your actions and the past 2 decades of weak products.

And although I constantly question the wisdom of any massive corporate management, it’s not as easy as just saying “build cars people want” like so many fools say here. Of course building cars that no one wants doesnt help (AKA Aztek), but people actually do want most GMs and Fords. The problem is to build and sell them at a profit.

TTFWTFYD = LOF + (4h * IOF)

Key:
TTFWTFYD – Total Time Flight Will Take From Your Day
LOF – Length of Flight
IOF – Importance of flight

IOF is the really important variable here. It’s a sliding scale from 0.75 to infinity with 0.75 meaning it’s a meaningless flight and you have nothing better to do with your life.

T+0 -> Arrive at checkin
T+15 -> A guy with a bad attitude is searching your bag and rearranging your undies.
T+30 -> You get shuttled off to another line where a guy with a bad attitude is searching you and rearranging your undies.
T+35 -> You sit down in at the gate (but only if you’re at least 30 minutes ahead of schedule).
T+60 -> The flight arrives late from Baltimore
T+75 -> You’re in your seat. Hooray.
T+90 -> You’re still in your seat. The plane hasn’t moved.
T+105-> You’re still in your seat. The plane has moved, to the end of the line to get off the ground.
T+120-> Hooray! You’re at 10,000 feet and can turn on your iPod without being thrown out an escape hatch.
T+145-> The stewardess trips and spills someone’s bloody mary on your lap. Add 30 minutes when you get to your destination to change clothes.
T+330-> Hooray, you’ve started your approach to Reagan.
T+345-> You’re not sure exactly when, but approach will end “soon”.
T+400-> Hooray, you’re on the ground.
T+415-> Hooray, you’re at the gate.
T+430-> Hooray, you’re made it to the baggage claim just in time to discover they’ve moved it, to across the airport.
T-445-> Hooray, you’ve got your bags!

445 minutes, also known as over 7 hours. Basically, a whole working day shot on our wonderful airline system.

MATH TIME!

Assuming a CEO makes $10M a year, his daily salary is approximately $37,878. Now, this trip has to be repeated to go home. You now have a bill of over $70,000 to fly that CEO via “First Class”. $30,000 for a round trip from Detroit to DC doesn’t seem so silly. And before you complain about the time in the air, remember that on a private jet you can actually do the work of a CEO. You’re not going to discuss the Chrysler merger or prepare for a congressional appearance by rehearsing in First Class.

But I know, why should I bring facts into this emotional situation? I mean, doesn’t every CEO know that he’s over paid, you could do his job with a High School Diploma and a few fortune cookies and that his very existence is a blight on the ass of mother earth?