Latest news with #BeachInternationalAirport
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. President Donald Trump is leaving Monday for a four-day trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, his first major overseas trip since taking office. Trump Sunday confirmed reports he expects Qatar to donate a 747-8 luxury jetliner as a "GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE," hours after a Qatari spokesperson said such reports were "inaccurate" and the "possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One" was still "under review" by U.S. and Qatari lawyers. The $400 million aircraft would be donated to Trump's presidential library foundation before he left office, several news organizations reported. Trump, openly frustrated with Boeing's delays in finishing new Air Force One models, spent more than an hour touring the Qatari 747-8, "which is so opulently configured it is known as 'a flying palace,'" when it was parked at West Palm Beach International Airport in February, ABC News said. The U.S. government would pay a contractor to upgrade the gifted jet for presidential use. The 747 would be "one of the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the U.S. government," The New York Times said, and it appears Trump "would have use of the plane even after his presidency ends." The arrangement raised significant ethical concerns and, according to some legal experts, would clearly violate the Constitution's emoluments clause. "This sure looks like a foreign country that the president has personal business dealings in giving the president a $400 million gift right before he meets with their head of state," said Jordan Libowitz, a spokesperson for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, per Reuters. "Nothing says 'America First' like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "It's not just bribery, it's premium foreign influence with extra legroom." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said "any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws." Trump's Mideast trip is "expected to focus heavily on business deals and new investments from the oil-rich region," where his sons have recently presided over "deals involving the Trump family's real estate and cryptocurrency ventures," The Washington Post said. "Unusually, Trump does not plan to visit Israel during the trip," a "snub to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump reportedly toured Qatar gift plane at PBIA in February. When will it come back?
It's been here once already, but will the controversial $400 million luxe plane the Qatari government aims to gift President Donald Trump come back to Palm Beach International Airport? Media reports say Trump toured the plane at PBIA in February during a stay at Mar-a-Lago, where he visited four times and spent 12 days during that month. The gift of the plane, dubbed the "flying palace" for its opulence, has been a source of debate during the president's travels through the Middle East in May. Disagreements between the president, his critics and even MAGA supporters have lorded over the trip and its significant achievements, including the announcement of "very serious" talks with Iran, recognition of the Syrian regime and a proposed $600 billion investment by Saudi Arabia in the United States. Here are five things to know. Where Trump would keep the plane is an unknown. The proposal is for the president to use the plane while in office after a retrofit by U.S. authorities. Palm Beach County residents would see the plane at PBIA, off Southern Boulevard at the Atlantic Aviation location, where existing U.S. airliners that serve as Air Force One are parked when the president visits. Trump is not expected to visit Palm Beach again until the fall, however. The offer of the aircraft has sparked serious pushback against the president, even from Make American Great Again allies. Social-media influencers and commentators Ben Shapiro and Laura Loomer, who has had the president's ear as of late, have come out against acceptance of the plane. National and presidential security experts have also raised significant concerns about secrecy in having the president fly on an aircraft produced and furnished by another country. The Democratic National Committee said it flew a banner over Mar-a-Lago on May 14 that read "Qatar-a-Lago." "Today, the DNC is highlighting what foreign autocracies around the world already know: Trump has no loyalty to the American people, national security, or the Constitution — his only allegiance is to his bank account and his billionaire buddies," DNC Chair Ken Martin wrote in a statement. Ethics watchdogs say the offer violates the emoluments provision in Article I of the U.S. Constitution. That clause does not allow holders of federal offices to accept gifts, emoluments, offices, or titles from foreign governments without approval from Congress. In a May 13 post on his social-media platform, Trump insisted the aircraft, a Boeing 747, is to be given to the "United States Air Force/Department of Defense" and not to him. "It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive," he wrote. "Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done. This big savings will be spent, instead, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country." Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@ Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Will we see President Trump at Palm Beach International in Qatar plane?
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Avelo announces plans to extend seasonal Daytona to Philly flights
DAYTONA BEACH — After recently announcing its discontinuation of service here to two destinations, Avelo Airlines surprised Daytona Beach International Airport officials by announcing plans to resume seasonal service to the Philadelphia area sooner than expected. The ultra low-cost airline is scheduled to end its twice-weekly nonstop flights to Wilmington Airport in New Castle, Delaware, just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the end of April. However, it will now resume its flights there to and from Daytona Beach starting May 22. "After a three-week pause at the end of April, the service will resume twice weekly on May 22 through Nov. 16," said Joanne Magley, director of air service, marketing and customer experience at the Volusia County-run Daytona Beach airport. Magley said it is possible that Avelo will continue its twice weekly flights to Wilmington/Philadelphia beyond Nov. 16 because "the airline doesn't have their schedules made yet past (that date). "If the community and visitors use the service, it shows the airline there's demand to keep it year-round." Avelo also offers year-round twice-weekly nonstop service at Daytona Beach airport to New Haven, Connecticut. Avelo last year re-launched its seasonal service to Wilmington/Philadelphia in November after a 10-month pause. "Avelo made systemwide adjustments to its schedule (in late 2023) which included a pause in service from DAB (Daytona Beach International Airport) to Wilmington," said Magley. "This was due to Avelo not receiving expected aircraft orders and needing to (temporarily) pull out existing aircraft (from service) to perform heavy maintenance." Unexpected delays in deliveries of additional jetliners prompted Avelo's recent decision to end its twice-weekly nonstop flights at Daytona Beach airport to Hartford, Connecticut, and to Concord, North Carolina, so it can deploy its "small fleet" for use on other routes where demand is greater, according to Mike Corcoran, a network planning executive for the airline, in an email to Daytona Beach airport officials. Avelo in April landed a contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to deport illegal aliens to El Salvador. The airline's decision to provide deportation flights has drawn protest demonstrations at some of the airports it serves, according to multiple news sources including the Delaware News Journal, a sister publication to The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Avelo's founder and CEO Andrew Levy defended the decision in a written statement in which he wrote, "After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 crewmembers employed for years to come." I.C.E. also employs charter airlines that don't offer regularly scheduled commercial flights to deport illegal aliens. Wilmington, Delaware, has a population of just over 71,000 people, while New Castle, which is six miles to the south and where Wilmington Airport is located, has just over 5,500 residents. Both cities are considered part of the greater Philadelphia market, because Pennsylvania's largest city with a population of more than 1.5 million, is just a 40- to 45-minute drive away. Magley told The Daytona Beach News-Journal, "We were thrilled to learn that Avelo extended the Wilmington, Delaware flight. It is a popular flight and it extends our offerings for nonstop service to popular destinations like the Philadelphia area." Currently, through the end of this month, Avelo offers incoming and outgoing flights here to and from Wilmington Airport on Thursdays and Sundays. When Avelo resumes its seasonal service to Wilmington/Philadephia in late May, the flights will again be on Thursdays and Sundays through the end of August, said Magley. In September and October, the twice-weekly flights will be on Mondays and Fridays. They will go back to being on Thursdays and Sundays in November. Daytona Beach airport offers airline flights to eight different destinations. Delta Air Lines offers multiple daily flights to Atlanta, Georgia, while American Airlines offers multiple daily flights to Charlotte, North Carolina. Breeze Airways, another ultra low-cost carrier like Avelo, offers twice-weekly nonstop flights to White Plains, New York, Hartford, Connecticut, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Providence, Rhode Island. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Avelo to resume seasonal Daytona to Philly nonstop flights in late May
Euronews
17-02-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Trump tours Boeing plane to highlight delay in Air Force One delivery
President Donald Trump toured a Boeing aeroplane to check out new hardware and technology features and highlight the aircraft maker's delay in delivering updated versions of the Air Force One presidential aircraft, the White House has revealed. Trump visited the 13-year-old private aircraft parked at Palm Beach International Airport on Saturday. "President Trump is touring a new Boeing plane to checkout the new hardware/technology," said Steven Cheung, the White House communications director. "This highlights the project's failure to deliver a new Air Force One on time as promised." Air Force One is a modified Boeing 747. Two already exist and the president flies on both of the more than 30-year-old planes. Boeing has the contract to produce updated versions, but delivery has been delayed while the aircraft maker has lost billions of dollars on the project. Delivery set backs Delivery was originally planned for 2024, but was pushed to some time in 2027 for the first plane and in 2028 - Trump's final year in office - for the second, according to the US Air Force. Trump has railed against the project's cost and delivery delays. He told Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk during an online chat in 2024 on Musk's X social media platform that he was able to cut more than $1 billion (€950 million) from the project by being tough with Boeing during his first term in office. "Over a course of about four weeks, by my saying I'm not going to do it, I got the price reduced by $1.6bn (€1.5bn) for the exact same plane, other than we had a nicer paint job, if you want to know the truth, but for the exact same plane," Trump said. Musk seen as the one to find costs to cut Musk, a billionaire, helped bankroll Trump's 2024 campaign and is leading a new Department of Government Efficiency that is working on shrinking the size of the government by cutting spending, eliminating agencies and slashing the federal workforce. Musk has come under criticism for his methods. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said last month that Musk was working with the company to help speed delivery of the Air Force One replacements. Trump is also interested in changing the colour scheme of Air Force One from light blue to a darker blue. An earlier attempt by Trump to switch the colours was dropped by then-President Joe Biden after a study concluded that doing so would require additional testing and cause further delays, adding to the cost.
CBS News
16-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Trump tours updated Boeing plane to highlight delay in delivery of new Air Force One
President Trump toured a Boeing airplane to check out new hardware and technology features and highlight the aircraft maker's delay in delivering updated versions of the Air Force One presidential aircraft, the White House said Saturday. Mr. Trump visited the private aircraft parked at Palm Beach International Airport. "President Trump is touring a new Boeing plane to checkout the new hardware/technology," said Steven Cheung, the White House communications director. "This highlights the project's failure to deliver a new Air Force One on time as promised." What kind of plane is Air Force One? Air Force One is a modified Boeing 747. Two exist and the president flies on both of the more than 30-year-old planes. Boeing Inc. has the contract to produce updated versions, but delivery has been delayed while the aircraft maker has lost billions of dollars on the project. Delivery initially was set for 2024, but has been pushed to some time in 2027 for the first plane and in 2028 — Mr. Trump's final year in office — for the second, according to the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Trump has railed against the project's cost and delivery delays. He told Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk during an online chat in 2024 on Musk's X social media platform that he was able to cut more than $1 billion from the project by playing hard ball with Boeing during his first term in office. "Over a course of about four weeks, by my saying I'm not going to do it, I got the price reduced by $1.6 billion for the exact same plane, other than we had a nicer paint job, if you want to know the truth, but for the exact same plane," Mr. Trump said. Musk, a billionaire, helped bankroll Trump's 2024 campaign and is leading a new Department of Government Efficiency that is working to shrink the size of government by cutting spending, eliminating agencies and slashing the federal workforce. Musk has been criticized for his methods. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said last month that Musk is working with the company to help speed the delivery of the Air Force One replacements. Trump's Air Force One design Mr. Trump is also interested in changing the color scheme of Air Force One from light blue to a darker blue. The previous design displayed a red, white and blue. An attempt to switch the colors was dropped by then-President Joe Biden after a study concluded that doing so would require additional testing and cause further delays, adding to the cost.
