GM Asks FAA To Keep Flights Secret

[crokett]

Yet another example of the entitlement attitude:

GM asked the FAA to stop public flight tracking of its jets. Maybe it should instead have the execs fly commercial like the rest of us?

http://jalopnik.com/5100251/gm-asks-...blic-for-money

[cgallery]

Maybe if the execs aren't smart enough to know that their request would ultimately leak (and look bad for them), they aren't smart enough to be running GM?

[Ed62]

Absolutely unbelievable!

Ed

[Knottscott]

Selfish brats don't deserve a fraction of what they have.

[jackellis]

Unlike GM, I've got nothing to hide. Wanna find me when I fly?

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N736ZD

GM would have been a lot smarter to keep their mouths shut. Now everyone and his sister will be trying to find the tail numbers of the jets GM execs fly on, which are likely a matter of public record. Not to mention that they've just called more attention to something that already rubs most folks the wrong way.

[ragswl4]

While I am sure it won't make any difference I went to GM.com and sent them an email letting them know how insensitive and ignorant their request to the FAA looks to this average taxpayer. What a bunch of goofballs.

[herb fellows]

Maybe if the execs aren't smart enough to know that their request would ultimately leak (and look bad for them), they aren't smart enough to be running GM?

Maybe??!!!

[shoottx]

OK so they sold their planes.

And maybe they took the money and bought several Marquis memberships in NetJets, who would know.

But it would appear to appease all of the small minds in Congress that are more worried about corporate jets than the real corporate issues.

The fact that congress was so small minded indicates their inability to understand the complex issues facing the auto makers, and the impact that governmental regulations they create impact car costs.

This by no means lets the Auto leaders off of the hook for their bad decisions but corporate jets aren't the big problems.

[Ed62]

I wonder if that's actually true. I haven't heard anything about it anywhere else.

Ed

[jackellis]

OK so they sold their planes.

And maybe they took the money and bought several Marquis memberships in NetJets, who would know.

But it would appear to appease all of the small minds in Congress that are more worried about corporate jets than the real corporate issues.

The fact that congress was so small minded indicates their inability to understand the complex issues facing the auto makers, and the impact that governmental regulations they create impact car costs.

This by no means lets the Auto leaders off of the hook for their bad decisions but corporate jets aren't the big problems.

I was going to point out earlier that corporate aircraft have a legitimate purpose that goes beyond keeping top execs out of the security lines but that's not something folks want to hear right now when they're worried about putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads.

It's clear to me that Congress was grandstanding when they took these folks to task for flying in on private jets. However, I think the execs used equally bad judgment when they flew in on three different airplanes to beg for a handout. Their airplanes cost about $10,000 per hour to operate (not including the cost of acquiring them in the first place) so that's about $75,000 to get them to Washington when three first class round-trip tickets might have cost about one tenth as much.

As for the complexity of their businesses, I have no more sympathy for the auto makers than for any other manufacturing concern. The automakers have faced a tough business environment for three decades and none of the key factors save a temporary period of sharply higher fuel prices has changed in that time. They and their unions have made some pretty horrible decisions, especially when viewed in 20/20 hindsight. Maybe this crisis is the tonic they need to fix their businesses for good.

[crokett]

I've been doing some reading and the Ford CEO claims Ford may not need the bailout. I do know that Ford has more cash than the other two so that may be true. Mulally says he is asking the government for a line of credit, just in case. He says that he will take his yearly salary down to 1 dollar if Ford has to use that credit.