I was reading an article in the Times today about the market for corporate and private jets. There are jets being sold for $40-$60 million, with an addition $8 million being spent on decorating the cabins to resemble hotel suites. And these aren't being sold at the rate of several per year. They're being cranked out at the rate of hundreds per year.
While the average traveler is being gouged by the airlines and provided with ever-decreasing levels of service, these corporate types, many of whom are probably airline executives, are roaming around in luxury. Aside from the incredible disparity in world wealth this represents, these people obviously no concern for the environment. While the average gnugny is worried about electric cars and recycling his garbage, these people are willing to spew billions of gallons worth of waste into the atmosphere, not to mention ginning up the price of oil. Ironically, this comes at a time when we're being treated to ads from communications companies showing how business can be conducted globally without actual travel. So the main transportation purposes of these corporate jets is to send their people on junkets, many I'm sure to visit their properties in places like New York City where they artificially jack up the price of real estate.
While the average traveler is being gouged by the airlines and provided with ever-decreasing levels of service, these corporate types, many of whom are probably airline executives, are roaming around in luxury. Aside from the incredible disparity in world wealth this represents, these people obviously no concern for the environment. While the average gnugny is worried about electric cars and recycling his garbage, these people are willing to spew billions of gallons worth of waste into the atmosphere, not to mention ginning up the price of oil. Ironically, this comes at a time when we're being treated to ads from communications companies showing how business can be conducted globally without actual travel. So the main transportation purposes of these corporate jets is to send their people on junkets, many I'm sure to visit their properties in places like New York City where they artificially jack up the price of real estate.
