When George W. Bush was inaugurated in 2000, the Washington D.C. airports service almost 300 private jets. Some of them were from a private jet charter service, while others were owned outright. But in any case, that’s a lot of private jets in one place at one time.
To be sure, there was an outcry amongst environmentalists and others who oppose private jets (and private automobiles, in some cases). So, you might be tempted to think that there would be a much smaller showing during the 2008 Presidential election, given the fact that much of that party’s base is heavily rooted in green politics.
You might think so, but you’d be wrong. Very wrong. President Barack Obama’s inauguration festivities saw record numbers fly in using a private jet charter or personally owned jet airplane. Almost 500 private jets flew into local airports.
Of course we have no gripes about private jets. We’re all for them. We also have no axe to grind with the election results. We’re equal opportunity when it comes to harassing politicians. We simply found it humorous. We’re really looking forward to the day when the Green Party manages to get Ralph Nader elected and the private jet count tops 1,000.
All political joking aside, private jets will continue to play an important role in business and political travel. And as they become more and more affordable, we’re going to see more people traveling this way. What was once highly exclusive has now become well within the reach of even modestly successful businessmen.
Using a private jet charter system, more and more people are able to buy time on or a share of a private jet. These days, the cost is often only slightly higher than double the cost of first class airfare. For those who frequently have the need to travel and for whom business or political deals can hinge on how quickly they can get to the negotiating table, it only makes sense to use a private jet.
So, how many jets will show up at the next Presidential inauguration? It’s hard to say, though it probably won’t matter much which political party wins. Unless of course, it’s the Green Party, in which case we’re looking for record numbers.
