A contracted 25 hours of private jet time costs my firm $100,000 plus fees.
So even if you give Beckett a big discount and assume her flights all lasted only an hour (unrealistic) you are looking at a cost 10 times what she claims her flights costed.
Even without taking into account the capital costs her flights will have easily cost more than a £1m. That is a lot of Eurostars.
I'm surprised Tony hasn't requested an American style Blair Force One plane for his personal use yet.
I take it they've so buggered the train network they daren't use it themselves any more?
April 12, 2006 at 11:30 AM
Anonymous
said...
I for one am delighted that they use the Queen's Flight. The alternative is that they: (a) buy a Netjets card (a cost so horrendous as to be unthinkable); (b) Charter a plane each time they need one (more horrendous than (a); or (c) use scheduled flights, thus increasing delay and inconvenience to 'ordinary hard working families' and also putting us at greater risk from terrorist threats.
Having once been delayed for an unreasonable length of time "because a VIP was arriving" on a flight I'm in no doubt that it's far better for them to use the RAF. The VIP? John Gummer. VIP may well mean something other than what I thought it meant.
Amazing - this was the lead story on the BBC this morning, but already has dissappeared from their webpage.
Do you think the spin doctors decided with news of Chantelle from Big Brother getting engaged, today was a good day to bury bad news ...
April 12, 2006 at 11:34 AM
Anonymous
said...
Netjets would be cheaper than the Queen's Flight I suspect.
Because when the jet is parked doing nothing waiting for the next nob to summon an air taxi to take 'em to Blackpool for party conference it is costing money. Lots of money.
With Netjets you have fractional ownership, so when you are not using it, someone else is using it.
That is why corporations have switched to it - it is cheaper. It is the difference between hiring a limo and having a company car and driver. Economists refer to "Capacity Utilisation".
And they use the M4 Heathrow bus lane in their fancy ministerial motors - but I do miss the old Zil.
April 12, 2006 at 12:02 PM
Anonymous
said...
london to derby? Theres a relatively nice first class section on that train and it takes about an hour and a half from kings cross. Surely thats a bit quicker than having to get out to the airport, take off, land, get from airport to the town?
I'm surprised the New Labour excuse of "Everybody does it" won't wash in this instance?
April 12, 2006 at 12:52 PM
Anonymous
said...
Personally I think all firearms legislation should be repealled and SAM missile systems should be readily available in every supermarket.
RM
April 12, 2006 at 1:25 PM
Anonymous
said...
you better hope MI5 don't read this remittance man :)
April 12, 2006 at 1:35 PM
Anonymous
said...
This is a complete non-story. Our government is embarassingly backwards in that we don't have one or two big passenger jets dedicated to ministerial/military top brass usage and kitted out appropriately.
I cringe every time I see Blair in a chartered BA 777 going to an international conference or tour. Firstly, given the demise of the single 'flag-carrier' concept, it's no longer fair for the government to charter jets from only one of our British airlines (what about Virgin? BMI?. And secondly - when Russia and the US turn up in enormous state planes, we look like cheapskates who count the pennies and ignore security and prestige issues.
We are truly a nation of pennypinching idiots.
April 12, 2006 at 1:36 PM
Anonymous
said...
Government uses Government air service. Shock, horror!
April 12, 2006 at 1:41 PM
Anonymous
said...
Of course the UK should have a fleet of luxury jets for the elite in order to raise our national prestige. If Abramovitch can have one, why not Tony? But while you are at it, why not some luxury yachts as well? And those limos - bit naff and should be upgraded to Rollers ASAP. It is also a mistake that their entourage only consists of civil servants - they should be required to have a full complement of lackies; hair dressers and valets in order that their appearance maintains our rightful national pride in our elite. Any finally, I am alone in thinking it disgraceful that our great leaders should share a bus lane while whisking to Heathrow.
Well perhaps we could buy some nice neo-royal regalia for the Emperor Tony and his coterie. He'd look rather fetching with a crown, wouldn't he? And he could disguise his receding headline.
April 12, 2006 at 2:10 PM
Anonymous
said...
Michael,
No spook can get past the army of fiercly loyal zulu warriors who guard my mountain fastness.
Call me Prester John.
RM
April 12, 2006 at 2:21 PM
Anonymous
said...
Did they ever find that missing copy of Edvard Munch's "The Scream"? If not, a picture of La Beckett could fill the space and hardly anyone would notice.
April 12, 2006 at 2:25 PM
Anonymous
said...
I think the quote about it being cheaper than Eurostar is that it's cheaper than buying the train rather than a ticket ...
April 12, 2006 at 2:28 PM
Anonymous
said...
Guido,
A year ago you predicted a rapid return to frontline politics for a defenestrated Howard Flight.
How's that going?
April 12, 2006 at 2:30 PM
Anonymous
said...
Moscowman, Croydonian:
This entire issue is one of degree. We would look equally daft for having overprovision and generous usage; just as we currently look daft for our miserly underprovision.
Of course it would be ridiculous to have a fleet of jets, free for holiday usage for everyone from the PM to the Undersecretary in charge of Paperclips. But one, or two, for cabinet ranking ministers, royals, and the military on government business - no. It's a security and prestige issue.
Obviously, when ministers start using them to fly from London to Derby then there's an issue. But flying home from Brussels to Derby after government business? I just don't see the problem.
The same argument of degree applies to the Royals. To have no head of state for reasons of cost would clearly be stupid. But to support an entire family lavishly is equally idiotic. Supporting the head of state (elected or otherwise) is enough. Let the others pay their own way.
April 12, 2006 at 2:31 PM
Anonymous
said...
Popes Underpants:
Unemployable Halfwits. Very funny. Most of our bankbenchers are, indeed, unemployable halfwits (cf Fabricant, M; Brazier, J; Cohen, H; Robertson, J and so on). Many of the front bench on all sides are idiots also. Ming Campbell? Not just an idiot, but old with it. But Blair and Brown? No.
We benefit because it makes us look like we matter. The day we start turning up in Sinclair C5s is the day we stop having any influence on anything whatsoever.
If fancy aeroplanes etc impress the impressionable, more fool them.
If Blair's politburo actually used scheduled flights and so forth, it might bring them a little nearer the people they claim to serve.
Meanwhile, presumably Tsarina Beckett flies from Northolt to East Midlands airport and thence to the Kremlin in Derby, which even with motorcyle outriders to and from the 'airports' cannot possibly be quicker than taking an express train / car. Anyone care to run some figures?
Guido, it's very cruel to select a photo of Margaret Beckett clearly showing the effects of jet lag after a 16 hour flight and/or a vicious mugging...
Either that or it's time for a Private Eye lookalike with Skeletor... "I say, are we ready for take-off yet?", "Oh yes Ma'am, no plebeian oiks to hold you up when you fly with the Royal Blair Force"...
April 12, 2006 at 2:57 PM
Anonymous
said...
Andrew,
Quite. By her own admission when contesting the Labour leadership in 1994, no one could say her and Prescott were "part of the beautiful people" (a swipe at Blair's image consciousness).
However, in her youth she did cut a finer figure. What went wrong?
I have failed to find any photos where La Beckett has a higher level of pulchritude than in the pic Guido has used, but the possibility intrigues.
Meanwhile, here is her entry on imdb, which I chanced upon just now:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1853062/
April 12, 2006 at 3:11 PM
Anonymous
said...
Hang on Sir Ming, hang on. How exactly would it help the taxpayer to have Blair fly around in his own designated jet? Perhaps the US might have signed up to Kyoto had Bush been more impressed by Blair's wings?
You really think that the Saudis mind how Blair gets there as long as he's willing to discuss selling them lots of jets? No.
In fact, the way it affects this taxpayer is by showing me that while we're all recycling, trying to cycle to work, using our Ecover washing-up liquid, Blair and his buddies are undoing all my hard work by jetting home, pumping carbon into the atmosphere in order AT MY EXPENSE.
April 12, 2006 at 3:19 PM
Anonymous
said...
eldude,
You weren't watching closely enough. Dorothy spilt the bucket of water on her, and she melted...
April 12, 2006 at 3:20 PM
Anonymous
said...
Labour are a bunch of wankers, but I do think the whinging tories around here would have slightly more credibility of they didn't cry buckets when we scrapped the Royal Yacht. Still.
It could have been worse - she could have travelled with her caravan...... and you know how they always get to the front of the queue.....
April 12, 2006 at 4:22 PM
Anonymous
said...
Re Howard Flight, his wife is standing for Westminster Council in a safe Tory ward, and both their names head the list of the assenting electors for the Tory candidates in St James's ward.
April 12, 2006 at 4:38 PM
Anonymous
said...
For what it is worth, on the one occasion I met her I found Mrs Beckett to be quite charming.
April 12, 2006 at 5:04 PM
Anonymous
said...
I love this "getting the Royal Flight to drop her off at West Midlands Airport was cheaper" spin. Isn't West Midlands AIRPORT a place that has those useful things called scheduled air services to other parts of the world?
Here's a thought - book a ticket, go to the airport, get on plane. When going on private holiday - PAY FOR YOUR OWN TICKET!
April 12, 2006 at 5:35 PM
Anonymous
said...
Many moons ago George Orwell wrote the script for this Labour Government - he called it Animal Farm
A far cry from the days when Attlee paid for his own postage or Harold Wilson sold his memoirs to pay for his Leader's Office in Opposition.
This is the "Self-Help" team taking away the Royal Yacht and the Royal Train and leaking about the Royal Family to get them to use commercial flights; so the Tribunes of the People can stand on two legs and pretend to be Farmer Jones.
April 12, 2006 at 6:46 PM
Anonymous
said...
For what it is worth, on the one occasion I met her I found Mrs Beckett to be quite charming.
5:04 PM
FAGIN
(spoken) You see, Oliver...
(sung) In this life, one thing counts In the bank, large amounts I'm afraid these don't grow on trees, You've got to pick-a-pocket or two
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys, You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
BOYS
Large amounts don't grow on trees. You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
FAGIN
(spoken) Let's show Oliver how it's done, shall we, my dears?
(sung) Why should we break our backs Stupidly paying tax? Better get some untaxed income Better to pick-a-pocket or two.
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
BOYS
Why should we all break our backs? Better pick-a-pocket or two.
FAGIN
(spoken) Who says crime doesn't pay?
(sung) Robin Hood, what a crook! Gave away, what he took. Charity's fine, subscribe to mine. Get out and pick-a-pocket or two
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
BOYS
Robin Hood was far too good He had to pick-a-pocket or two.
FAGIN
Take a tip from Bill Sikes He can whip what he likes. I recall, he started small He had to pick-a-pocket or two.
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
April 12, 2006 at 6:49 PM
Anonymous
said...
I think 'rick' must single-handedly beat any anonymong on here into a cocked-hat for lameness.
Are you a ghostwriter for Bird and Fortune, by any chance?
Keep it up and Blair will get that elusive fourth term.
April 12, 2006 at 7:09 PM
Anonymous
said...
Keep it up and Blair will get that elusive fourth term.
Oh...he's going to go on and on and on..... like someone else I recall
April 12, 2006 at 7:27 PM
Anonymous
said...
Rick
Thank you so much for reminding of that lovely musical. Whatever happened to the actress who planned Nancy?
I am afraid now of telling you about the time I met Sir Edward Heath outside his "battle bus" during the 1974 election campaign. I did get his autograph though, and Jeremy Thorpe's. Do you think they are worth anything?
Ah, the Royal Yacht, which way back lost etc etc, we were told could/would be used as a hospital ship during wartime. Although oddly enough, it was 'unsuitable' back in '82. Fancy that...
If Betty Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Battenberg wants a floating gin palace, she can fork out for one from her own highly voluminous pockets.
Meanwhile, almost back at the plot, I think that photo of Tsarina Beckett has the potential to be as amusing long term as the Neil/'Asian babe' photo they keep running in the Eye.
April 13, 2006 at 12:16 AM
Anonymous
said...
I'm not an apologist for this sorry excuse of a govt, but as an officer in the RAF VR(T) I'd like to put some facts your way, posted by a serving officer on 32 Sqn, over at http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=221334&page=2
1. The Queens flight ceased to exist in 1995. It's now the Royal Flight 2. 32 Sqn does roughly speaking, 10% royal/30%ministerial/60%military flying 3. Every flight is scrutinised before CFTA accept the booking and the party doing the booking has to pay for the hours they acrue on the jets(818 pound an hour for a 125 etc) 4. The sqn has spent the majority of the last 5 years heavily involved on Herrick and Telic with at least one jet in muscat/thumrait/PSAB/basra/al udied etc. 5. They also do Compassionat evacuations/extraditions and lots of other crap that they never get any credit for.
People only ever see "royal" in the title. The royals/ministers spend way more time with netjets as 32 Sqn are always on deployment.
Given that these guys are already overstretched on operational duties, it makes it even more obscene that they should be reduced to being ministerial taxi drivers.
April 13, 2006 at 8:32 AM
Anonymous
said...
It's not the Saudi's they need to impress, it's their rich friends whose houses they are having free holidays in. Two years ago friends flying to barbados had to wait on the tarmac for about an hour before el tone boarded with family. (They had travelled from his constituency and unlike Blunkett he had refused to use the blues and twos to get through traffic) They sat in the back while all the ministerial staff sat in business and first - TB had to keep popping forward to talk with the minions traveling in the better cabin at our expense while he, paying for himself, sat with the proles. This was almost certainly the last time that "Cherry" travelled with the hoi Polio as all of a sudden "security" appeared as an issue (albeit 3 years after 9/11) allowing them to travel in the same style as all their rich new friends.
44 comments:
A contracted 25 hours of private jet time costs my firm $100,000 plus fees.
So even if you give Beckett a big discount and assume her flights all lasted only an hour (unrealistic) you are looking at a cost 10 times what she claims her flights costed.
Even without taking into account the capital costs her flights will have easily cost more than a £1m. That is a lot of Eurostars.
I'm surprised Tony hasn't requested an American style Blair Force One plane for his personal use yet.
I take it they've so buggered the train network they daren't use it themselves any more?
I for one am delighted that they use the Queen's Flight. The alternative is that they: (a) buy a Netjets card (a cost so horrendous as to be unthinkable); (b) Charter a plane each time they need one (more horrendous than (a); or (c) use scheduled flights, thus increasing delay and inconvenience to 'ordinary hard working families' and also putting us at greater risk from terrorist threats.
Having once been delayed for an unreasonable length of time "because a VIP was arriving" on a flight I'm in no doubt that it's far better for them to use the RAF. The VIP? John Gummer. VIP may well mean something other than what I thought it meant.
Amazing - this was the lead story on the BBC this morning, but already has dissappeared from their webpage.
Do you think the spin doctors decided with news of Chantelle from Big Brother getting engaged, today was a good day to bury bad news ...
Netjets would be cheaper than the Queen's Flight I suspect.
Because when the jet is parked doing nothing waiting for the next nob to summon an air taxi to take 'em to Blackpool for party conference it is costing money. Lots of money.
With Netjets you have fractional ownership, so when you are not using it, someone else is using it.
That is why corporations have switched to it - it is cheaper. It is the difference between hiring a limo and having a company car and driver. Economists refer to "Capacity Utilisation".
And they use the M4 Heathrow bus lane in their fancy ministerial motors - but I do miss the old Zil.
london to derby? Theres a relatively nice first class section on that train and it takes about an hour and a half from kings cross. Surely thats a bit quicker than having to get out to the airport, take off, land, get from airport to the town?
maybe I'm just a little old fashioned......
On the upside, at least when Tsarina Beckett is airborne she can't block the nation's roads with her infamous caravan.
I'm surprised the New Labour excuse of "Everybody does it" won't wash in this instance?
Personally I think all firearms legislation should be repealled and SAM missile systems should be readily available in every supermarket.
RM
you better hope MI5 don't read this remittance man :)
This is a complete non-story. Our government is embarassingly backwards in that we don't have one or two big passenger jets dedicated to ministerial/military top brass usage and kitted out appropriately.
I cringe every time I see Blair in a chartered BA 777 going to an international conference or tour. Firstly, given the demise of the single 'flag-carrier' concept, it's no longer fair for the government to charter jets from only one of our British airlines (what about Virgin? BMI?. And secondly - when Russia and the US turn up in enormous state planes, we look like cheapskates who count the pennies and ignore security and prestige issues.
We are truly a nation of pennypinching idiots.
Government uses Government air service. Shock, horror!
Of course the UK should have a fleet of luxury jets for the elite in order to raise our national prestige. If Abramovitch can have one, why not Tony? But while you are at it, why not some luxury yachts as well? And those limos - bit naff and should be upgraded to Rollers ASAP. It is also a mistake that their entourage only consists of civil servants - they should be required to have a full complement of lackies; hair dressers and valets in order that their appearance maintains our rightful national pride in our elite. Any finally, I am alone in thinking it disgraceful that our great leaders should share a bus lane while whisking to Heathrow.
"We are truly a nation of pennypinching idiots".
Well perhaps we could buy some nice neo-royal regalia for the Emperor Tony and his coterie. He'd look rather fetching with a crown, wouldn't he? And he could disguise his receding headline.
Michael,
No spook can get past the army of fiercly loyal zulu warriors who guard my mountain fastness.
Call me Prester John.
RM
Did they ever find that missing copy of Edvard Munch's "The Scream"? If not, a picture of La Beckett could fill the space and hardly anyone would notice.
I think the quote about it being cheaper than Eurostar is that it's cheaper than buying the train rather than a ticket ...
Guido,
A year ago you predicted a rapid return to frontline politics for a defenestrated Howard Flight.
How's that going?
Moscowman, Croydonian:
This entire issue is one of degree. We would look equally daft for having overprovision and generous usage; just as we currently look daft for our miserly underprovision.
Of course it would be ridiculous to have a fleet of jets, free for holiday usage for everyone from the PM to the Undersecretary in charge of Paperclips. But one, or two, for cabinet ranking ministers, royals, and the military on government business - no. It's a security and prestige issue.
Obviously, when ministers start using them to fly from London to Derby then there's an issue. But flying home from Brussels to Derby after government business? I just don't see the problem.
The same argument of degree applies to the Royals. To have no head of state for reasons of cost would clearly be stupid. But to support an entire family lavishly is equally idiotic. Supporting the head of state (elected or otherwise) is enough. Let the others pay their own way.
Popes Underpants:
Unemployable Halfwits. Very funny. Most of our bankbenchers are, indeed, unemployable halfwits (cf Fabricant, M; Brazier, J; Cohen, H; Robertson, J and so on). Many of the front bench on all sides are idiots also. Ming Campbell? Not just an idiot, but old with it. But Blair and Brown? No.
We benefit because it makes us look like we matter. The day we start turning up in Sinclair C5s is the day we stop having any influence on anything whatsoever.
If fancy aeroplanes etc impress the impressionable, more fool them.
If Blair's politburo actually used scheduled flights and so forth, it might bring them a little nearer the people they claim to serve.
Meanwhile, presumably Tsarina Beckett flies from Northolt to East Midlands airport and thence to the Kremlin in Derby, which even with motorcyle outriders to and from the 'airports' cannot possibly be quicker than taking an express train / car. Anyone care to run some figures?
Guido, it's very cruel to select a photo of Margaret Beckett clearly showing the effects of jet lag after a 16 hour flight and/or a vicious mugging...
Either that or it's time for a Private Eye lookalike with Skeletor... "I say, are we ready for take-off yet?", "Oh yes Ma'am, no plebeian oiks to hold you up when you fly with the Royal Blair Force"...
Andrew,
Quite. By her own admission when contesting the Labour leadership in 1994, no one could say her and Prescott were "part of the beautiful people" (a swipe at Blair's image consciousness).
However, in her youth she did cut a finer figure. What went wrong?
I have failed to find any photos where La Beckett has a higher level of pulchritude than in the pic Guido has used, but the possibility intrigues.
Meanwhile, here is her entry on imdb, which I chanced upon just now:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1853062/
Hang on Sir Ming, hang on. How exactly would it help the taxpayer to have Blair fly around in his own designated jet? Perhaps the US might have signed up to Kyoto had Bush been more impressed by Blair's wings?
You really think that the Saudis mind how Blair gets there as long as he's willing to discuss selling them lots of jets? No.
In fact, the way it affects this taxpayer is by showing me that while we're all recycling, trying to cycle to work, using our Ecover washing-up liquid, Blair and his buddies are undoing all my hard work by jetting home, pumping carbon into the atmosphere in order AT MY EXPENSE.
eldude,
You weren't watching closely enough. Dorothy spilt the bucket of water on her, and she melted...
Labour are a bunch of wankers, but I do think the whinging tories around here would have slightly more credibility of they didn't cry buckets when we scrapped the Royal Yacht. Still.
I was delighted when the Royal Yacht was scrapped, then again I'm a life long republican.
It could have been worse - she could have travelled with her caravan...... and you know how they always get to the front of the queue.....
Re Howard Flight, his wife is standing for Westminster Council in a safe Tory ward, and both their names head the list of the assenting electors for the Tory candidates in St James's ward.
For what it is worth, on the one occasion I met her I found Mrs Beckett to be quite charming.
I love this "getting the Royal Flight to drop her off at West Midlands Airport was cheaper" spin. Isn't West Midlands AIRPORT a place that has those useful things called scheduled air services to other parts of the world?
Here's a thought - book a ticket, go to the airport, get on plane. When going on private holiday - PAY FOR YOUR OWN TICKET!
Many moons ago George Orwell wrote the script for this Labour Government - he called it Animal Farm
A far cry from the days when Attlee paid for his own postage or Harold Wilson sold his memoirs to pay for his Leader's Office in Opposition.
This is the "Self-Help" team taking away the Royal Yacht and the Royal Train and leaking about the Royal Family to get them to use commercial flights; so the Tribunes of the People can stand on two legs and pretend to be Farmer Jones.
For what it is worth, on the one occasion I met her I found Mrs Beckett to be quite charming.
5:04 PM
FAGIN
(spoken) You see, Oliver...
(sung) In this life, one thing counts
In the bank, large amounts
I'm afraid these don't grow on trees,
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys,
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
BOYS
Large amounts don't grow on trees.
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
FAGIN
(spoken) Let's show Oliver how it's done, shall we, my dears?
(sung) Why should we break our backs
Stupidly paying tax?
Better get some untaxed income
Better to pick-a-pocket or two.
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
BOYS
Why should we all break our backs?
Better pick-a-pocket or two.
FAGIN
(spoken) Who says crime doesn't pay?
(sung) Robin Hood, what a crook!
Gave away, what he took.
Charity's fine, subscribe to mine.
Get out and pick-a-pocket or two
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
BOYS
Robin Hood was far too good
He had to pick-a-pocket or two.
FAGIN
Take a tip from Bill Sikes
He can whip what he likes.
I recall, he started small
He had to pick-a-pocket or two.
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two, boys
You've got to pick-a-pocket or two.
I think 'rick' must single-handedly beat any anonymong on here into a cocked-hat for lameness.
Are you a ghostwriter for Bird and Fortune, by any chance?
Keep it up and Blair will get that elusive fourth term.
Keep it up and Blair will get that elusive fourth term.
Oh...he's going to go on and on and on..... like someone else I recall
Rick
Thank you so much for reminding of that lovely musical. Whatever happened to the actress who planned Nancy?
I am afraid now of telling you about the time I met Sir Edward Heath outside his "battle bus" during the 1974 election campaign. I did get his autograph though, and Jeremy Thorpe's. Do you think they are worth anything?
Does John Prescott have two jets like he does with Jags?
Guido,
Any chance you could remove that picture of Margaret Beckett?
She is not just incompetent and a hypocrite.
She is SICKENINGLY ugly!
Ah, the Royal Yacht, which way back lost etc etc, we were told could/would be used as a hospital ship during wartime. Although oddly enough, it was 'unsuitable' back in '82. Fancy that...
If Betty Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Battenberg wants a floating gin palace, she can fork out for one from her own highly voluminous pockets.
Meanwhile, almost back at the plot, I think that photo of Tsarina Beckett has the potential to be as amusing long term as the Neil/'Asian babe' photo they keep running in the Eye.
I'm not an apologist for this sorry excuse of a govt, but as an officer in the RAF VR(T) I'd like to put some facts your way, posted by a serving officer on 32 Sqn, over at http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=221334&page=2
1. The Queens flight ceased to exist in 1995. It's now the Royal Flight
2. 32 Sqn does roughly speaking, 10% royal/30%ministerial/60%military flying
3. Every flight is scrutinised before CFTA accept the booking and the party doing the booking has to pay for the hours they acrue on the jets(818 pound an hour for a 125 etc)
4. The sqn has spent the majority of the last 5 years heavily involved on Herrick and Telic with at least one jet in muscat/thumrait/PSAB/basra/al udied etc.
5. They also do Compassionat evacuations/extraditions and lots of other crap that they never get any credit for.
People only ever see "royal" in the title. The royals/ministers spend way more time with netjets as 32 Sqn are always on deployment.
Given that these guys are already overstretched on operational duties, it makes it even more obscene that they should be reduced to being ministerial taxi drivers.
It's not the Saudi's they need to impress, it's their rich friends whose houses they are having free holidays in. Two years ago friends flying to barbados had to wait on the tarmac for about an hour before el tone boarded with family. (They had travelled from his constituency and unlike Blunkett he had refused to use the blues and twos to get through traffic) They sat in the back while all the ministerial staff sat in business and first - TB had to keep popping forward to talk with the minions traveling in the better cabin at our expense while he, paying for himself, sat with the proles. This was almost certainly the last time that "Cherry" travelled with the hoi Polio as all of a sudden "security" appeared as an issue (albeit 3 years after 9/11) allowing them to travel in the same style as all their rich new friends.
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects.dll/CollectionPublisher.woa/wa/work?workNumber=ng5769
I knew I'd seen that picture of the hideous crone Beckett before......