'Shameful beyond words': Government officials take £50k 'sightseeing' flight, emitting 300kg of CO2
2 September 2022, 14:31 | Updated: 2 September 2022, 15:06
A dozen Foreign Office officials have taken a sightseeing trip on the Prime Minister's official jet, branded "shameful beyond words" by Shadow Trade Secretary, Emily Thornberry.
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The officials walked up a red carpet to board the plane, which the Foreign Office confirmed had alcoholic drinks on board, before the jet departed half an hour later at 1.30pm on Wednesday 31st August.
The Sun reports the £80 million luxury jet then flew a 700 mile round trip up to the Scottish Borders - via the Lake District - whilst serving guests a fancy meal, before the plane landed back at Stansted 2.34pm.
The flight was estimated to cost around £50,000, and the plane is estimated to have pumped out around 300kg of carbon dioxide during the flight.
According to a Government source, the officials joined the 'maintenance flight' to "make sure that, following a recent reconfiguration of the aircraft, it would still meet ministerial requirements".
But an aviation expert, who didn't want to be named, told The Sun that the maintenance flight could have lasted for only 45 minutes.
“This trip could have been done in, say, 45 minutes. It’s just to make sure the plane is doing everything properly," he said.
"It’s basically like when you take out a car that’s not been driven a while to make sure brakes and other important bits work."
Shadow Trade Secretary, Emily Thornberry, said the trip aboard the jet - which has cream leather seats, faux wood panelling and luxury crystal glasses - was "shameful beyond words":
"This would be utterly disgraceful behaviour at the best of times, but in the middle of our country’s current crisis, it is shameful beyond words," she said.
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John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, added: "Taxpayers will wonder why pen-pushers had the privilege of taking a government jet out for a spin."
Flight data shows the plane’s last trip was on July 21, from Darlington to Stansted - the Government has said it had to be taken out by Sunday as it must be flown within 45 days.
The jet's operator Titan Airways website says it specialises in "bespoke air charter travel" and says it has a "wide array of menus and in-flight packages" that can be "tailored to your needs".
Titan Airways did not respond to a request for comment.
