GM announced today they will close their air transportation service center at Detroit Metro Airport, sell four of their planes and transfer whatever plane/s they decide to keep to another operator in order to at least appear frugal.


This follows Planegate Part One and Part Two, which didn't go over so well. Having a corporate jet is a justifiable expense for a large, mutli-national organization but a fleet of jets operating as your own private airline is a perk that doesn't hold up well after media scrutiny — especially when Saint Alan decides that a company that makes cars should drive everywhere. The media may appreciate this but the people who work for the Not-So-Big Three's jet companies are going to have a crappy Christmas. Press release below

GM Ceasing Corporate Aviation Operations DETROIT — GM today announced that it is ceasing operations at General Motors Air Transportation Services (GMATS) at Detroit Metro Airport. Due to significant cutbacks over the past months, GM travel volume no longer justifies a dedicated corporate aircraft operation. GM is currently exploring options for transferring its aircraft to another operator. The company is pursuing sale of four of the aircraft so it can terminate the leases. GM will shutter the facility at Metro Airport effective January 1, 2009. GM will work with the airport to seek a tenant for the balance of the lease, which expires in 2009.


[Source: GM, Photo: IAA via Getty Images]