Liz Truss' £500,000 (plus) flight to Aus on private jet. Paid for by UK tax payers.

Me too. I have lots of family in Australia. My Mother is an Australian. I am also fully vaccinated with a booster to boot. I deserve a holiday. I haven't had one for years!!

We won't need a £200 million boat then.

It's to be hoped that once the King of Freeloaders is booted out of office a more sensible replacement might cancel that one, Alegrias

Baggs

Not sure that logically follows, alegrias, but you could start a new sniping thread to cover the issue perhaps ?

Nah, I'll stick with this one, thanks.

I should think facilities like a secure satellite communication system and missile detection are important for big military nobs military VIPs, so that claim may have truth in it.

It's a massive plane, capacity for 277 passengers (though obviously the modifications have removed a considerable amount of seat space). For a few VIPs? (Who seem to have managed fine up until now)

Keep drinking the Kool Aid folks...

Not sure that logically follows, alegrias, but you could start a new sniping thread to cover the issue perhaps ?

The RAF Voyager “Vespina” has completed its refurbishment to provide a secure, cost-effective and suitably profiled transport for Government Ministers and the Royal Family. The aircraft now proudly displays the Union Flag alongside RAF markings and is ready to represent the UK across the globe

Oh that's interesting.

We won't need a £200 million boat then.

Ridicule LT if you must to relieve your pain but it's clearly very easy to find out the background information that might lead to a more moderate understanding.

"Alongside its VIP Role, the aircraft remains certified for its original use, including Air-to-Air Refuelling and personnel transport. It can fly from and to almost any airport across the world that can take an Airbus A330, and its range allows it to reach much of the world without costly and time-consuming refuelling."

And a very quick check would seem to support the apparently absurd claim.

What I mean is the idea isn't as nonsensical as might first appear.

MaizieD

Baggs

Masses of info here (wiki) including this:

"The Voyager refit cost £10million and the government estimated the use of the aircraft would save £775,000 a year versus the cost of charter flights; The new arrangement was expected to cost around £2,000 per flying hour as opposed to £6,700 for long-haul charter.[12] The refit included a secure satellite communications system, missile detection, conference facilities, a changing room, 58 business class seats and 100 economy seats."

So, yeah, it costs a lot. But then flying does. Silly to compare this with holiday flights.

Someone on twitter tried to claim that it was being used by the military when not flying government ministers round the world. Perhaps as a transport plane.. With all those facilities?

I should think facilities like a secure satellite communication system and missile detection are important for big military nobs military VIPs, so that claim may have truth in it.

I wonder how much she will spend on redecorating the flat if she becomes PM?

25Avalon

As I said before the plane cannot be let to anyone else so when is it going to be used? Presumably it is equipped for working on board which ordinary long distance planes aren’t.

As I've said before, quite extraordinary how UK government personnel have managed all those decades with out it, really...

Baggs

Masses of info here (wiki) including this:

"The Voyager refit cost £10million and the government estimated the use of the aircraft would save £775,000 a year versus the cost of charter flights; The new arrangement was expected to cost around £2,000 per flying hour as opposed to £6,700 for long-haul charter.[12] The refit included a secure satellite communications system, missile detection, conference facilities, a changing room, 58 business class seats and 100 economy seats."

So, yeah, it costs a lot. But then flying does. Silly to compare this with holiday flights.

Someone on twitter tried to claim that it was being used by the military when not flying government ministers round the world. Perhaps as a transport plane.. With all those facilities?

As I said before the plane cannot be let to anyone else so when is it going to be used? Presumably it is equipped for working on board which ordinary long distance planes aren’t.

Just disgusting. I have just read this too.

Interesting. I've just found a twitter thread from last summer. The aircraft is leased from a company called Titan on a 2 year contract costing £75 million.

Previously ministers used much smaller RAF planes that are now being taken out of service.

It's all on here:

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1421740602430050312.html

I am with MaizieD. I also wonder what she negotiated with the Americans. Could it be that we will now have to accept cattle raised in feed lots and pumped full of antibiotics and is our NHS still safe from US Pharmacy companies.

She went because she wanted to, that’s what she always seems to do - she’s a sandwich short of a picnic. Have you read her Wikipedia profile?

gransruleok

Does anyone know WHY she went? Has she not heard of zoom? What a waste of space.

and taxpayers money!

Does anyone know WHY she went? Has she not heard of zoom? What a waste of space.

Lost track with this ages ago. But basically, I am with you Baggs

Disgraceful, to think her and the rest of the nutty party are running our country is a disgrace. And to use peoples taxes makes me so flaming angry.
Who can you trust in that party.

Neilspurgeon0

@trisher, the pilot and co pilot (to complete parachute training obviously) leaving the plane on auto pilot flying a circle over the deepest bit of the Atlantic until it ran out of fuel.

Oh if only...!!!

I've just been wondering if the purveyors of "excuses" ever get tired.

He wasn't there. It wasn't a party. There was no cake. They work together anyway. He was accidentally present. Everybody else was doing it. What about Ukraine? Its a lovely plane. She probably didn't know how much it cost.

Do they ever stop to think, why am I having to defend them so often? Could it be that these politicians are actually shameless self promoters with no conscience and no concern for the electorate? Does that never cross anybody's mind?