GM shedding some private jets: report

Gee, kind of late in doing that. How about, like, doing that before your company starts shedding millions per week?

I think "cutting back drastically on all travel" would involve getting rid of private jets altogether. These guys really don't get it. They're clearly not interested in doing what it takes to save their business. I say let them go down. Others will rise in their places with business plans that actually make sense for today's world

Security? Are the CEO's of auto companies famous? Are they politicians or movie stars or royalty? That's the most ridiculous excuse for wasting money that I've ever heard. I doubt anyone would know who the heck they were. I sure wouldn't.

Ha! Don't worry Big Three, we're not buying your cars even if you do suspend the use of your private jets.

Here's an idea that might help you instead of a government bailout... START MAKING A BETTER PRODUCT!!!! If you make a car that people actually want, maybe we'll buy them. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy your last few months of flying aboard your luxury jets as your stocks tank and your business is about to go under. Hasn't anybody ever heard of the concept of Corporate Responsibility?!? Obviously not the Boards at the Big Three (so glad I don't own stock in any of them).

It's probably speak more if they drove a GM car to and from where they needed to go...

I am a proponent of a bridge loan to the Big 3 after a few of their top executives are dropped. Their political stupidity is incredible. They need to be spending time renegotiating mortgages with their mortgage holders and pruning other borrowing expenses as well. Picking on their retirees and employees will not be sufficient what they need is change. Unfortunately that is looking like it will be in bankruptcy court where they are going to get that change. That may be music to some peoples ears but it sounds like a dirge to me.

I agree with Bruce L. The Big Three execs don't get it and are window dressing their concept of corporate responsibility. These companies have been turning out poor products for decades and while they were asleep...guess what...someone else did it better! Novel concept huh....you don't perform...you fail...it's called REAL WORLD!
The last domestic car I bought was a 1986 Pontiac Sunbird..it ran for a total of 56,000 miles and three years.....I'm driving a 10 year old Toyota at 120,000 miles....get the picture?

The statement '....downsizing is "strictly in response to the planes not being used" and not a reaction to the harsh treatment....' shows that they have learned nothing yet. In my opinion, still detached from reality, still defiant and should not be bailed out (based on their poor judgement).

Also consider the extremely lavish offices the executives have.

No one is saying that top executives shouldn't have nice offices where they can have conferences with a few people. However, some of those offices are rediculously opulent and big, designed mainly as status symbols without any practical need.

Security my foot! They have it in their agreements, most includes their families - personal business too! Hell, Rob Emanuel, Obama's Chief of Staff is flying COACH BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN CHICAGO AND DC. WHAT HAPPENED TO FREE ENTERPRISE - you provided a product they people buy and you survive, you don't and you won't. Have we given up on the FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM? I guess so. Let the go bankrupt, I'm tired of paying for other people's mistakes when we have people who through no fault of their own need help!! Gee, did we lend money to the buggy whip companies when they were being replaced? Geez!!!

You would think they would be trying to sale everything that's not part of ther core business, to save the company, including the corporate jet. The only solution they seem to have is to beg for money from the tax payer. At first I thought the government should step in, but now, after they couldn't even put forth a plan of action (not to mention the jet issue), I say let them sick or swim on their own.

I fail to understand why in a "free market" society the government, who Everyone loves to hate, is bailing these guys out, Greed and waste is the only thing taught - or learned - in the best business schools in the U.S. it seems. I say let them self destruct and let other companies that are smarter, leaner and more with today's global market approach enter the market. Very soon there will be a glut of corporate jets on e-bay with Alaska's jet. P.S we drive a 12 year old Toyota Station Wagon & a 9 year old Infinity that both run great!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello Detroit???????

I would love to see the big three fire all employees for two weeks and have them apply for unemployment. What would that cost the taxpayer?

I wonder what's Lee Iacocca's (former CEO of Chrysler) take on this?

Many CEOs of Fortune 500 cos have access to and use corporate jets. Many times their itineraries are such that the use of commercial airlines is impractical.

Congressmen and senators use public airlines -- no security issues here.

While most of us agree that the gesture would be symbolic, the importance cannot be overstated. It would be prudent on the part of these CEOs to make some effort to cut back in these lean times. They're always asking we employees to be team players. Aren't they on the same team?

COme on people. That is the cost of doing business in todays world. How would you like to be flying from city to city sometimes weeks at a time on commercial planes. At their level that is Standard and when you look at time saved from commercial travel based on their salaries, it evens out. Don't act like you dont know thats what happens. It isnt the end of the world.

For those of you dwelling on the expense of private jets, get a clue and look at the big picture. The amount of money it takes to keep them in the air is a rounding error in the grand scheme of things. What about the private jets that some of the congressman and senators fly around in. Anyone ever look at how much Nancy Pelosi spends. I'm not in favor of bailing out the auto companies either, but the alternative is far worse. Do any of you have any idea how many jobs are connected to the auto industry in this country. Far more than you can even imagine. Further, if you thought we had too many people uninsured now, just wait until these auto companies lay-off thousands and stop paying insurance for their retirees. Lastly, the hard times they've fallen on are not 100% their fault. The meltdown of the credit industry has literally pinched them all, and unfortunately the Big 3 were not in a good position to weather such a storm. The auto companies need to lock themselves in a room and develop a meanginful biz plan to get back to profitability (before we lend them money), but letting them go bankrupt is not the answer. It would also be a sad day in America is we all of a sudden lost our automotive industry.

Privatized gains. Socialized losses. Isn't that what these bailouts are all about. I know there is a complex macro picture involved and the effect these business failures will have across our economy but is it news to anyone that the big 3 are struggling. Haven't we been hearing that for years? Who's next in line, the airlines...oh wait they already go their bail out and now they are losing money....again. I can't recall a time in my life where those companies have been doing well.

In the past 5 years we have bought two new cars. We did not even consider any of the big three. It wasn't out of spite, it just didn't cross our minds. I know I am not alone. Those at the top of these companies should be concerned about that but don't seem to have a clue.

the whole plan is to go into bankruptcy, shed the pension obligations, and let the government pick it up. It was done with the steel industry, now the auto industry is looking for the same way out. One way or the other, the US taxpayer is going to be on the hook for bailing out the auto industry.

Let us not forget the unions' and their part in this. A bailout would not only have to include reduced management salaries but also a dramatic renegotiation of the union contract.
There are PLENTY of people that would work for far less.
Maybe just a house cleaning of management and current unions.

Jim, we had a 1985 Pontiac Sunbird. Cute little car, red over silver. It ran like a champ for 80,000-some-odd miles until it got run over a large landscape boulder one rainy night in 1993. What did you do to destroy yours so fast?

I used to be a loyal Ford owner, since I was 16 that is all I ever bought. Every car I owned lasted less than 5 years and 75,000 miles. After the head gasket and trans blew out on my Thunderbird with 74,000 miles on it I went to the imports. I have been driving my 1997 Infiniti I-30 with 180,000 miles on it and I still love it. As soon as the tires fall off of this one I will go out and buy another import without question. The Big Three screwed the american car buyers for so long that now it's karma time. They don't have a CLUE!!! Toyota is the number 1 manufacturer now, they have 5 model lines and 1500 car dealerships. GM has 7500 dealers ALONE!!! What does that tell you? Why would anyone have 3 badges for the same vehicle. You can get a GMC, a Chevy, or a Buick that are all the same thing with different names. That business model doesn't make any sense. Good riddens.

Security is a main issue. A huge business cannot operate while the key executives are at risk for their personal safety, or for that matter, their families safety. We hear how dozens of ships have been kidnapped in the last year off the coast of Somolia. That is what happens when we let our guard down.

And the cars are better now than ever before. All of them. Don't like hearing about yesterdays gripes. Give it a rest.

And let's face the executive compensation issue head on: these guys are the most talented at what they do. Most people are in a better position to judge whether baseball, football and other five year athletic wonders are worth their $50 million/ $200 million salaries than how well the domestic auto industry is managed.

Most of the nonsense that we are being fed by the admittedly 'financial news entertainers' is just that -- shallow thoughts for the sake of creating controversy.

I live in Detroit. I am the only guy in Detroit without connections to get the advertised employee price. Oh, by the way, why are our domestic automakers the ONLY company that ADVERTISES employeed prices? The Gap doesn't. Either do the imports. Super idea guys it won't offend anyone or confuse them. In fact, lets start a new brand just to show them we are straight shooters (Saturn) but underfund them. "An American Revolution", wow, the lunch at Oakland Hills Country Club that produced that perky slogan must have been a doozy. Oh, and Bob Seger's manager had veto rights over all content of all the Chevy truck ads for all those years. Like a rock they will sink.

"Security is a main issue. A huge business cannot operate while the key executives are at risk for their personal safety, or for that matter, their families safety. We hear how dozens of ships have been kidnapped in the last year off the coast of Somolia. That is what happens when we let our guard down."

ummm... when was the last time any of the upper management for the big automakers went near Somalia? I have a feeling they don't travel near third-world hot-spots all that often. Thus.. "we needed to use the private jet for security" translates into "I get a warm and fuzzy feeling of security when I can show off my shiney toy"

"And let's face the executive compensation issue head on: these guys are the most talented at what they do. Most people are in a better position to judge whether baseball, football and other five year athletic wonders are worth their $50 million/ $200 million salaries than how well the domestic auto industry is managed."

umm Gerry, if they truely are "the best and the brightest" and they have managed to lose several billion dollars.. that says to me they are about room-temp IQ. The idea of sports-figure salaries and CEO compensation are tangentially-linked at best. CEOs seem to be paid whether they perform or not.

Is so much travel really necessary now days? It seems to me that video conferencing, which costs far less with modern technology, could be used to replace over half of the traveling that the executives do.

As for security, are corporate jets really more secure than commercial flights?

As for bailing out the car companies, it is possible that that would be the lessor of two evils considering the effects that failure could have on the regular employees and the economy. Perhaps more analysis should be done on the possible consequences before making any decisions; it is not a simple matter and I am not an expert. However, if they are bailed out, there should be very short strings attached.

There's a certain comedian with initials JL who's ALWAYS joking about Kias...what's there to joke about when you compare their 100,000 mile warranty with that of American-made cars??? And maybe those working at GM for $58 an hour could afford to buy their (own) product,but who isn't going to compare the warranties of cars when they're checking them out??? I KNOW I AM!!!!

Although I'm not sure we can afford to 'let' them sink, I doubt we can afford to engage either. We have likely not started the real downturn GM claims we need to help them weather, and they (the multi-millionaires with private jets) are losing 6+ billion a quarter. This is after, as GM claims, three years of improvements. What good is 6 - 12 billion for GM if they are already lose that in 3 - months... likely to increase exponentially in a real poor economy?

I have been driving GM cars all of my life and most them made it far past 100,000 miles. My current car, an '05 Malibu, is great -55,000 miles so far with no down time except for regular maintenance. Oh yeah, I did get tires.
I know that Toyota's etc. run a long time but don't you find it ironic to see men of WWII age to be seen driving Japanese cars. I guess in 50 years some of you guys will be driving a Bin Laden, justifying it by rapping American workers and praising the Il Quida business model.