They fly the empty plane so they can still get the money
goingbroke
Posts: 1,410
On some days, the pilots with Great Lakes Airlines fire up a twin-engine Beechcraft 1900 at the Ely, Nev., airport and depart for Las Vegas without a single passenger on board. And the federal government pays them to do it.
Federal statistics reviewed by The Associated Press show that in 2010, just 227 passengers flew out of Ely while the airline got $1.8 million in subsidies. The travelers paid $70 to $90 for a one-way ticket. The cost to taxpayers for each ticket: $4,107.
Ely is one of 153 rural communities where airlines get subsidies through the $200 million Essential Air Service program, and one of 13 that critics say should be eliminated from it. Some call the spending a boondoggle, but others see it as a critical financial lifeline to ensure economic stability in rural areas.
the spending a boondoggle
Federal statistics reviewed by The Associated Press show that in 2010, just 227 passengers flew out of Ely while the airline got $1.8 million in subsidies. The travelers paid $70 to $90 for a one-way ticket. The cost to taxpayers for each ticket: $4,107.
Ely is one of 153 rural communities where airlines get subsidies through the $200 million Essential Air Service program, and one of 13 that critics say should be eliminated from it. Some call the spending a boondoggle, but others see it as a critical financial lifeline to ensure economic stability in rural areas.
the spending a boondoggle
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mariner67, and Mikes coins
0
Comments
The are plenty of other places to discuss federal programs that might be wasteful.
<< <i>are you going to tell on him? >>
Your lame attempt to make me seem unreasonable is noted.
The fact is no one wants this excellent place cluttered with debate over which government programs are wasteful or not.
Thank you. Come again.
<< <i>Relevance to PMs? >>
ummmm..wasteful programs such as this is causing the government to bleed red ink thus pushing up the price of PMs?
Lets look at it from another direction. If the government was doing something that would drive the price of PMs down, would that be relevant information?
<< <i>
<< <i>are you going to tell on him? >>
Your lame attempt to make me seem unreasonable is noted.
The fact is no one wants this excellent place cluttered with debate over which government programs are wasteful or not.
Thank you. Come again. >>
I agree.
Eventhough you can indirectly link this to rising PM's (a stretch at best) and the article itself is very interesting, it has no place in this PM forum.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
<< <i>Relevance to PMs?
The are plenty of other places to discuss federal programs that might be wasteful. >>
I took a look and found MANY threads that are in the same category as mine are. Please take a look yourself and don't forget to log your complaints on each and every one!. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion even you. I am not chastising your statements in any way, just trying to point out a few things. JMO
(x2,Meltdown),cajun,Swampboy,SeaEagleCoins,InYHWHWeTrust, bstat1020,Spooly,timrutnat,oilstates200, vpr, guitarwes,
mariner67, and Mikes coins
<< <i>
<< <i>Relevance to PMs?
The are plenty of other places to discuss federal programs that might be wasteful. >>
I took a look and found MANY threads that are in the same category as mine are. Please take a look yourself and don't forget to log your complaints on each and every one!. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion even you. I am not chastising your statements in any way, just trying to point out a few things. JMO >>
You're totally correct in that there are other non PM posts in this forum and they should be addressed in like manner.
However, two wrongs do not make a right.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
"Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey
<< <i>If I have a vote, I prefer to keep this forum related to PM's and the economy in general since it has an influence on PM prices. >>
I agree that economy issues like the debt ceiling, certain government policies and as always, what the intellectual Ben Bernanke has to say are relevant to PM's and should be included in thios forum, but to discuss empty plane trips that cost the government billions is still off topic IMHO.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
<< <i>I took a look and found MANY threads that are in the same category as mine are. Please take a look yourself and don't forget to log your complaints on each and every one!. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion even you. I am not chastising your statements in any way, just trying to point out a few things. JMO >>
Goingbroke, I wasn't chastising you either, and I appreciate you contributing to the forum.
We all understand the straight line connection between government waste in general, excessive government debt, monetary policy, and future PM prices.
I am just voicing my opinion on whether or not this is the place to start discussing specific programs that may or may not be wasteful, especially on such a (relatively) small scale. Post what you like. I'm not the forum police, but I can still state my opinion.
Since you brought it up... 13 out of 153 cities are being criticized on the $200MM EAS program. A 90% efficiency rate for any government program is obscenely good. We're talking about less than $20 million in debatable "waste". Uncle Sam burned through that in the amount of time it took you to read this, and $20 million in waste/debt certainly doesn't move the needle on PMs (to try to keep it on topic). Plus, in the past 13 years, 80 cities have been cut from the program - it's not exactly poorly or passively managed.
And yes, I am fully aware of the irony that I am now discussing exactly what I said we should not discuss.
Carry on!
<< <i>Maybe the thread title should read "continued wasteful taxdollar spending to ensure continued PM success"
Or "Airline opererates with a GOLDEN parachute"
Steve
I knew it would happen.
<< <i>Is your sigline supposed to be a parody or a political statement? Either way, it seems out of place. >>
jmski, I am most active in the collectible currency forum. It's not a political statement or parody, I just found it amusing.
yep. And I get to express my opinion as well (like it or not).
I knew it would happen.
this is the type of government spending that is digging our financial graves and driving PMs up.
As much as I like aircraft and airports, I think it's time this to start shutting this program down.
when I was a kid, one classmate's dad was an airline pilot. He used to drive 2+ hours one way to an airport to fly to his base on his route. There is an airport that's a couple of hours from here that is receiving money for these flights. I'm surprised we had one so close to major international airports. (The wife just flew non-stop to Beijing from here.) In the cost-benefit scheme of things, living well in a slower paced atmosphere has its benefits, and one of its costs is driving 2 hours to the airports.
in just about anything, where do you go? Ely is in BFE. It's 200 miles from Salt Lake, 245 miles
from Las Vegas and 265 miles from Reno. Since most health plans require you be in State then
Reno and Las Vegas are your options. About 5 hours drive time. Is it necessary? Live there and
then ask that question.
bob