Consumer Demand for Private Jets Is Soaring, but the Industry Has

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Consumer Demand For Private Jets Is Soaring, But The Industry Has Received Over $666 Million In Federal Pandemic Aid, And 26 Companies Have Taken Money From Three Separate Relief Programs.

SUMMARY: The boost to unemployment insurance began expiring at the end of July, leaving the unemployed without a “vital financial cushion.” And while individuals unable to return to work are facing financial uncertainty and “collapsing incomes,” demand for private jets is soaring and Trump is promising even more aid to their industry.

Overall, the private jet industry has accessed up to $666 million in pandemic relief aid via the Payroll Support Program, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). To date, the Trump administration has given private jet companies $508.7 million in grants from the Payroll Support Program, over $7.5 million in EIDL aid, and as much as $149.9 million in PPP funds. And at least 26 private jet companies have been given access to all three programs, taking up to $65.75 million in federal COVID stimulus funds between them.

The three pots of pandemic relief flowed to private jet companies following a flurry of high-expense lobbying during the first half of 2020. Two aviation industry groups alone spent over $1 million lobbying for pandemic aid. Additionally, executives from private jet companies have contributed over $180,000 to Trump’s campaign. This includes a $50,000 contribution from Greg Arnold, the CEO of the Truman Arnold Companies, a day before his business got a $2.7 million bailout from Trump’s Treasury Department.

The aid has been sent to a number of industry members with concerning backgrounds, several companies with close ties to the Trump administration fared particularly well in getting aid from the CARES Act:

• Two days after iAero Airways, a private jet company that contracts with ICE, received a $20.5 million bailout, the company’s president closed on a luxurious $15 million mansion.

• New York Stewart International Airport reportedly houses Trump's personal private jet - and is currently bidding to the be the "future headquarters" of Trump's pet Space Force project—also received $6.4 million in government aid.

• Cirrus Aviation, which bills itself as “by far the largest private jet charter operator in Las Vegas,” previously partnered with Trump’s Las Vegas hotel to provide private jets for a $620,000 engagement package and has accessed as much as $2.8 million in pandemic relief, double dipping in the Payroll Support Program and Paycheck Protection Program.

• Mayo Aviation and Presidential Aviation, which chartered controversial flights that contributed to the resignations of former Trump Cabinet members, each received roughly $5 million in pandemic relief and both double dipped in the Payroll Support Program and Paycheck Protection Program.

• A few months after federal contractor Omni Air International allegedly price-gouged the government for deportation flights, the company received over $67 million in a Payroll Support Program grant.

Public backlash against private jet bailouts prompted Trump’s Treasury Department to deny political favoritism. And industry executives lashed out at the media for “distorting” the truth. But as one economist stated: “It’s hard to imagine anything worse. Putting up public money to support an industry that serves the rich would be hard to justify. It’s absurd.”

1 Accountable.US Analysis: 26 Private Jet Companies Triple Dipped In Federal Pandemic Relief Programs, Cumulatively Taking Up To $65.75 Million In Payroll Support Program Grants, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, And Paycheck Protection Program Funds; At Least 105 Companies Double Dipped Across The Programs.

Accountable.US Analysis: 26 Private Jet Companies Took Up To $65.75 Million In Federal Pandemic Relief Funds, Triple Dipping In The Payroll Support Program, The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, And The Paycheck Protection Program.

26 Private Jet Companies Triple Dipped Among The Payroll Support Program, The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, And The Paycheck Protection Program And Took Cumulatively As Much As $65.75 Million In Pandemic Relief Funds. [EIDL Advance Data, U.S. Small Business Administration, 07/20/20; COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

• 36 Private Jet Companies Double Dipped Between The Payroll Support Program And The Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program, Taking $39,294,156. [EIDL Advance Data, U.S. Small Business Administration, 07/20/20; COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

• 95 Private Jet Companies Double Dipped Between The Payroll Support Program And The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans, Taking As Much As $344,986,944 In Pandemic Relief Funds. [COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

In Total, The Private Jet Industry Has Accessed Up To $666 Million In Pandemic Relief Aid Via The Payroll Support Program, The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, And The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

The Private Jet Industry Has Accessed Up To $666 Million In Payroll Support Program Grants, EIDL Aid, And PPP Funds.

As Of July 31, 2020, The Treasury Department Has Disclosed $508,645,759 In Payroll Support Program Grants To 170 Private Jet Companies. [COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

As Of July 20, 2020, The Small Business Administration Has Disclosed $7,538,300 In EIDL Funds To 36 Private Jet Companies. [EIDL Advance Data, U.S. Small Business Administration, 07/20/20]

• U.S. Small Business Owners Were Able To “Apply For An Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance Of Up To $10,000” If They “Are Currently Experiencing A Temporary Loss Of Revenue” Due To The Pandemic. “In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories were able to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000. This advance is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue.” [Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance, U.S. Small Business Administration, accessed 05/26/20]

2 • An EIDL “Loan Advance Will Not Have To Be Repaid.” “This loan advance will not have to be repaid.” [Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance, U.S. Small Business Administration, accessed 05/26/20]

• Any Recipient Of Both A PPP Loan And EIDL Loan Advance Will Have The Advance “Deducted From The Loan Forgiveness Amount On The PPP Loan.” “EIDL Grant (up to $10,000 each) and EIDL loan recipients may apply for and take out a PPP loan as long as there is no duplication in the uses of funds. Proceeds from an EIDL Grant will be deducted from the loan forgiveness amount on the PPP loan.” [“FAQ: CARES Act SBA Loan Programs,” Husch Blackwell, 07/15/20]

As Of August 6, 2020, At Least 95 Private Jet Companies Accessed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans Totaling $64,350,000-$149,900,000. [COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

LOAN RANGE NUMBER OF LOANS MINIMUM AMOUNT OF MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TOTAL LOANS TOTAL LOAN $5-10 million 3 $15,000,000 $30,000,000 $2-5 million 9 $18,000,000 $45,000,000 $1-2 million 14 $14,000,000 $28,000,000 $350,000-1 million 35 $12,250,000 $35,000,000 $150,000-350,000 34 $5,100,000 $11,900,000 TOTALS 95 $64,350,000 $149,900,000

As Much As $5.05 Million In PPP Loans Went To Private Jet Companies That Reported Retaining Zero Jobs (And Also Got Aid From The Payroll Support Program).

Six Private Jet Companies That Participated In The Payroll Support Program Got Between $2,150,000-$5,050,000 In PPP Loans And Also Reported Zero Jobs Were Retained With The Loan.

There Were Six Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans That Went To Private Jet Companies That Have Received Payroll Support Program Payments, Totaling $2,150,000-$5,050,000, And Also Reported Zero Jobs Were Retained With The Loan. [COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 07/31/20]

COMPANY BAILOUT LOAN MINIMUM LOAN MAXIMUM REPORTED AMOUNT JOBS RETAINED Freight Runners Express $2,767,691 $1,000,000 $2,000,000 0 Starflite Management $832,744 $350,000 $1,000,000 Field left blank Group (StarFlite Aviation) Holman Leasing Systems $775,377 $350,000 $1,000,000 0 (aka Pittsburgh Jet Center) Florida Jet Service $577,388 $150,000 $350,000 Field left blank Bankair $315,016 $150,000 $350,000 0 Meridian Air Group $266,777 $150,000 $350,000 0 TOTALS $5,534,993 $2,150,000 $5,050,000 0

Beyond Direct Federal Bailouts, Private Jet Companies Were Exempted From Federal Excise And Fuel Taxes As Part Of Coronavirus Relief.

In Addition To Direct Federal Bailouts, Private Jet Companies Were Exempted From Federal Excise And Fuel Taxes As Part Of Coronavirus Relief. “Under the bill, private-jet charter companies and jet-card companies will receive several types of help from the federal government. First, private-jet companies will no 3 longer have to pay a 7.5% tax. The tax, known as Federal Excise Tax, is charged to customers of private-jet charters and jet-card users. The tax won’t be charged for the rest of the year. Jet companies also won’t have to pay any fuel taxes.” [CNBC, 3/29/20]

In The First Half Of 2020 The Private Jet Industry Spent Over $1 Million Lobbying For COVID-19 Relief And Claimed Some Private Jet Companies Could Not Survive The Pandemic Without Federal Aid.

In The First Half Of 2020, The Private Jet Industry Spent $1,045,737 Lobbying On COVID Relief, Including The CARES Act.

Two Private Jet Industry Groups Spent A Combined $1,045,737 Lobbying In The First Half Of 2020

In The First Quarter Of 2020, The National Business Aviation Association Spent $580,000 On Lobbying, Which Specifically Included The CARES Act. [National Business Aviation Association, Inc. LD-2 Disclosure Form, U.S. Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, 04/20/20]

In The Second Quarter Of 2020, The National Business Aviation Association Spent $330,000 On Lobbying, Which Specifically Included The CARES Act. [National Business Aviation Association, Inc. LD-2 Disclosure Form, U.S. Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, 07/20/20]

In The First Quarter Of 2020, The National Air Transportation Association Spent $60,891 On Lobbying, Which Specifically Included “Issues Related To COVID Impact On General Aviation.” [National Air Transportation Association LD-2 Disclosure Form, U.S. Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, 04/19/20]

In The Second Quarter Of 2020, The National Air Transportations Association Spent $74,846 On Lobbying, Which Included Issues Related To The Pandemic’s Impact On The Aviation Industry. [National Air Transportation Association LD-2 Disclosure Form, U.S. Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database, 07/19/20]

Private Jet Industry Lobbied Congress To Be Included In The CARES Act Relief Package, Comparing Their Economic Struggles To “Those Experienced After The Sept. 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.”

The National Business Aviation Association, Which Represents The Private Jet Industry, Asked Congress “To Be Included In Any Air-Traffic Relief Package, Comparing The Airline Industry’s Current Economic Woes With Those Experienced After The Sept. 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.” “The National Business Aviation Association, which represents private and corporate jet companies, wrote to House and Senate leaders Friday with other industry groups asking to be included in any air-traffic relief package, comparing the airline industry’s current economic woes with those experienced after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.” [Jacob Bogage, “The private jet industry wants its own coronavirus bailout,” The Washington Post, 03/20/20]

According To The Private Jet Industry, Some Companies “Will Not Survive The Economic Pain Brought On By” COVID-19 “Without Federal Subsidies”

The Private Jet “Industry Groups Say Some Of Their Members Will Not Survive The Economic Pain Brought On By” COVID-19 “Without Federal Subsidies.” “Industry groups say some of their members will not survive the economic pain brought on by the novel coronavirus without federal subsidies. They ask specifically for ‘medium to long-term liquidity assistance and relief from air transportation excise taxes.’” [Jacob Bogage, “The private jet industry wants its own coronavirus bailout,” The Washington Post, 03/20/20]

4 Private Jet Company Executives, Whose Companies Received Nearly $60 Million In Bailouts, Have Contributed Over $180,000 To Trump’s Election Efforts – $50,000 Of Which Came From The CEO Of The Truman Companies A Day Before The Company Was Bailed Out.

Trump Donors From Private Aviation Companies Received Bailouts. Details can be found in the below table:

COMPANY BAILOUT $ EMPLOYEE JOB TITLE $ TO TRUMP $ TO RNC Clay Lacy Aviation $26,937,934 Clay Lacy Founder $52,700 $47,300 Clay Lacy Aviation $26,937,934 Loren Mohill Lead Captain $2,838.75 $150 Clay Lacy Aviation $26,937,934 Richard Former VP of $953.75 $450 Hodkinson Aircraft Sales Jet Linx Aviation $20,033,063 John Denny CEO & Vice $0 $34,900 Carreker Chairman Jet Linx Aviation $20,033,063 Connie Carreker Wife of John $16,400 $12,900 Denny Carreker Pegasus Elite Aviation $3,647,106 Timothy Prero Co-Founder, $11,575 $200 Owner, and Senior Partner Truman Arnold $2,777,912 Greg Arnold CEO $90,600 $29,400 Companies (TAC)* Tropic Ocean Airways $2,038,790 Ron Keiter Chief Inspector $519.06 $0 Channel Islands Aviation $1,071,365 Richard Skorpen Director of $2,538.47 $571.38 Maintenance Keystone Aviation* $927,109 Greg Arnold CEO of parent $90,600 $29,400 company Loyd’s Aviation (aka $778,595 Steven Loyd Owner $3,012.50 $0 Bakersfield Jet Center) Winner Aviation** $781,568 Charles Hale Owner $1,250 $1,250 Air Trek $672,600 A. Wayne Carr Pilot $937.50 $0

*NOTE: Greg Truman, CEO of the Truman Arnold Companies, made a $50,000 contribution to Trump’s reelection the day before his business was bailed out.

**NOTE: Winner Aviation also hosted a Trump rally in March 2016 [Business Journal, 3/29/16]

Companies With Ties To The Trump Administration Fared Well Under Federal Stimulus Aid.

Two Days After A Private Jet Company That Contracts With ICE Received A $20 Million Bailout, The Company’s President Closed On A Luxurious $15 Million Mansion. iAero Airways Has Accessed $20,464,937 In Payroll Support Program Grants.

On July 22, 2020, Swift Air Received A $20,464,937 Payroll Support Program Grant. [Payroll Support Program Payments, U.S. Department of Treasury, 07/31/20]

• iAero Airways, Previously Know As “Swift Air” Before It Was Acquired By iAero Group, “Is The Largest Charter Airline In The US.” “iAero Airways is the largest charter airline in the US. The company 5 is based in Greensboro, NC and Miami, FL. Originally founded in 1997 as Swift Air, the company has a 20+ year history of safety, growth, and diversification. In 2019, Swift Air was acquired by iAero Group and rebranded as iAero Airways.” [iAero Airways, iAero Group, accessed 08/06/20]

Two Days After His Company Got A $20 Million Bailout, iAero Airways’ President Closed On A $15 Million, 10,000-Square-Foot Mansion With “A Separate Small House, Tennis Court, Pool, Dock And Boat Storage Yard.”

On July 24, 2020, Jeff Conry, iAero Airways President, Closed On A “$14.9 Million” Mansion In Coral Gables, FL. “The president of a Miami-based charter airline sold one Coral Gables home and traded up for another that cost $14.9 million. Jeff Conry, iAero Airways president, bought the house at 6312 Riviera Drive from Rene A. Garcia on the same day he sold Garcia the house at 7270 W. Lago Drive for $3.7 million, according to Miami-Dade County deed and property appraiser’s records. Both transactions closed July 24.” [Lidia Dinkova, “Charter Airline, Aviation Repair Exec Buys $15 Million Coral Gables Mansion,” Law.com, 08/03/20

• The Mansion Is A “10,762-Square-Foot, Six-Bedroom, Six-Bathroom” With “A Separate Small House, Tennis Court, Pool, Dock And Boat Storage Yard.” “The 10,762-square-foot, six-bedroom, six- bathroom, house is on a 1.6-acre lot. It features a separate small house, tennis court, pool, dock and boat storage yard, according to records.” [Wade Tyler Millward, “Lift off: Charter airline prez buys waterfront Coral Gables mansion for $15M,” The Real Deal, 08/04/20]

Swift Air Flies “ICE-Chartered Flights,” And Completed At Least 28 This Year.

January To July 20, 2020: Swift Air Flew “28 Flights Chartered” By ICE For “Detainees.” “There are fewer detainees flying in and out of Washington state on flights chartered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Yakima this year compared to last year, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported. From January through July 20, 28 flights chartered through Swift Air have flown in and out of the Yakima Air Terminal at McAllister Field.” [“ICE-chartered flights carrying less people during pandemic,” Associated Press, 07/29/20]

The Airport Housing Trump’s $100 Million Private Jet Got Millions In CARES Act Grants And Is Now Also Bidding To Headquarter One Of Trump’s Pet Projects— The Space Force.

In April 2019, Trump’s “$100 Million-Plus Private Jet” Was Moved “To Signature Aviation’s Facilities” At The New York Stewart International Airport.

Trump’s “$100 Million-Plus Private Jet” Was Moved “To Signature Aviation’s Facilities At New York Stewart International Airport Last Month.” “Donald Trump’s $100 million-plus private jet. The Trump Organization moved the Boeing 757 from LaGuardia, where it had been hangered during the presidential campaign, to Signature Aviation’s facilities at New York Stewart International Airport last month.” [Judy Rife, “Stewart new home to Trump’s $100M private jet,” The Times Herald-Record, 05/21/19]

With Trump Using Air Force One, The Jet Is Used By “Trump Organization Executives.”

Trump’s Jet “Now Ferries Trump Organization Executives Among Their Business Interests” As He Uses Air Force One. “The president has used Air Force One since his election and his 757 now ferries Trump Organization executives among their business interests.” [Judy Rife, “Stewart new home to Trump’s $100M private jet,” The Times Herald-Record, 05/21/19]

New York Stewart International Airport Received $6.4 Million From The CARES Act To Help Weather The Coronavirus Pandemic.

6 New York Stewart International Airport “Is Getting $6.4 Million” From The CARES Act “In Federal Aid To Help Them Through The Coronavirus Pandemic.” “Airports throughout North Jersey and southern New York will get nearly $173 million in federal aid to help them through the coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated the aviation and travel industries. […] The money, part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, or CARES, Act, will help replace revenues lost due to a steep decline in passenger traffic due to COVID-19 […] New York Stewart International Airport in Orange County is getting $6.4 million.” [Steve Janoski, “North Jersey, Westchester airports to get more than $173M in federal coronavirus aid,” NorthJersey.com, 04/14/20]

New York Stewart International Airport Is Vying To Be “The Future Headquarters Of The U.S. Space Force.”

New York Stewart International Airport Is Vying To Be “The Future Headquarters Of The U.S. Space Force, America’s Newest Military Branch.” “New York Stewart International Airport: the final frontier? If Orange County leaders have their way, America’s future Captain Kirks will study, explore and protect space from a base beside the airport and the Stewart Air National Guard Base, home to the 105th Air Wing. Orange County leaders are discussing with Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials, who the run the airport, marketing the airport’s campus for the future headquarters of the U.S. Space Force, America’s newest military branch.” [Daniel Axelrod, “U.S. Space Force could be coming to Stewart Airport. Here are the details,” The Timed Herald-Record, 05/21/20]

In December 2019, Trump Officially Created The Space Force After Announcing It A Year And A Half Earlier.

On June 18, 2018 Trump Said “He Would Direct The Defense Department And The Pentagon To Create A New ‘Space Force.’” “President Trump said Monday that he would direct the Defense Department and the Pentagon to create a new ‘Space Force’ — an independent sixth branch of the armed forces.” [Sarah Kaplan and Dan Lamothe, “Trump says he’s directing Pentagon to create a new ‘Space Force’,” The Washington Post, 06/18/18]

On December 20, 2019 “Trump Signed A $738 Billion Defense Spending Bill” And In Doing So “Officially Created The Space Force.” “When President Trump signed a $738 billion defense spending bill on Friday, he officially created the Space Force. It's the sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Services, and the first new military service since the Air Force was created in 1947.” [Merrit Kennedy, “Trump Created The Space Force. Here's What It Will Actually Do,” NPR, 12/21/19]

A Private Jet Company That Trump Used For Lavish Engagement Packages At His Las Vegas Hotel Received A Nearly $1.9 Million Bailout.

Great Western Air, Which Does Business Under The Name Cirrus Aviation Services, Has Accessed As Much As $2.8 Million In Pandemic Relief, Double Dipping In The Payroll Support Program And Paycheck Protection Program.

Great Western Air, LLC Of Las Vegas, NV, Received $1,869,608 Under The Aviation Payroll Support Program. [Department of the Treasury, Payroll Support Program Payments, 4/29/20]

Great Western Air Received A PPP Loan Valued Between $350,000-$1 Million. [COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

State Filings Showed Great Western Air, LLC Was Doing Business As “Cirrus Aviation Services, LLC.” According to filings with the Nevada Secretary of State, the domicile name of “Cirrus Aviation Services, LLC” was “Great Western Air, LLC” of Arizona, located at 4331 Cherrystone Court in Las Vegas. According to filings with the Arizona Corporation Commission, “Great Western Air, LLC” was managed by Milt Woods and located at 4331 Cherrystone Court in Las Vegas, NV. According to Woods’ LinkedIn profile, he is a manager at Cirrus

7 Aviation. [Nevada Secretary of State, Accessed 5/19/20; Arizona Corporation Commission, Great Western Air, LLC, 3/15/10; LinkedIn, Milt Woods, Accessed 5/19/20]

Cirrus Aviation Partnered With Trump’s Las Vegas Hotel To Provided Private Jets For A $620,000 Engagement Package – Described As Being “For The Billionaire Who Has Everything, Except A Spouse.”

February 2016: Cirrus Aviation Provided Private Jets For Trump International Las Vegas’s $620,000 Engagement Package. “There are not enough superlatives to describe this Valentine's Day package. For the billionaire who has everything, except a spouse, the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas has created an engagement extravaganza worthy of Donald Trump himself. The $620,000 package includes everything from transportation via private jet, natch, to the jewelry bling and a 3,000-square-foot suite for three nights. The escapade starts in a Cirrus Aviation private luxury jet.” [Forbes, 2/9/16]

• February 2016: Cirrus Aviation Highlighted It Was “Teaming” With Trump International Hotel Las Vegas To Provide Private Jets For A $620,000 Engagement Package. "Valentine's Day is almost here and if you've been waiting to pop the question, now's the time. Especially if you have $620,000… and you're ready to spend it on someone you love. Cirrus Aviation is teaming with the best hospitality partners in Las Vegas for a perfect dream proposal package. […] It all begins with a flight on a private luxury jet with Cirrus Aviation from any destination in the United States. Whisk your loved one away for four days and three nights in Las Vegas. […] Next comes dinner at DJT inside the extravagant Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. You'll enjoy a romantic dinner for two inside a dramatically designed dining room with distinguished marbleized columns. You'll sit inside a plush private booth with curtains and personal lighting controls. Decadent dishes include a wild Italian porcini mushroom risotto with White Alba truffles and 24- carat gold leaf foam, complemented by a $7,000 bottle of Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne. […] When it's time to propose, you'll bring your loved one to a luxurious 3,000-square-foot three bedroom penthouse at the Trump International Hotel in a suite full of rose petals, chocolate and champagne against the perfect backdrop of a floor-to-ceiling panoramic view of the Las Vegas Strip.” [Cirrus Aviation, Blog, 2/11/16]

• Forbes: The Package Was “For The Billionaire Who Has Everything, Except A Spouse.” "There are not enough superlatives to describe this Valentine's Day package. For the billionaire who has everything, except a spouse, the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas has created an engagement extravaganza worthy of Donald Trump himself. The $620,000 package includes everything from transportation via private jet, natch, to the jewelry bling and a 3,000-square-foot suite for three nights. The escapade starts in a Cirrus Aviation private luxury jet.” [Forbes, 2/9/16]

• As Part Of Trump Package, Cirrus Aviation "Will Pick Up The Valentine From Their Home Anywhere In The United States." "The jet will pick up the Valentines from their home anywhere in the United States." [Forbes, 2/9/16]

Cirrus Aviation Said It Was "By Far The Largest Private Jet Charter Operator in Las Vegas." "The Largest Private Jet Charter Operator in Las Vegas Cirrus Aviation Services is by far the largest private jet charter company based in Las Vegas with more flights and aircraft than our direct competitors combined. The Cirrus Aviation team has been managing and operating aircraft – commercially and privately – for more than 40 years. The family-owned business is run by President & CEO Greg Woods and Director of Operations Mark Woods, two brothers who mastered the details and demands of the aviation industry and built the foundation for Cirrus Aviation." [Cirrus Aviation, Accessed 5/19/20]

June 2019 Flashback: Cirrus Aviation Praised Trump’s Tax Break For Private Jets, Saying It Meant The “Market For Private Jets Is About To Explode Even Further.”

June 2019: A Cirrus Aviation Blog Post Praised Trump For The Private Jet Tax Break, Saying "The New Tax Law For Private Jets Means The Market For Private Jets Is About To Explode Even Further." "The Trump Administration has been talking for years about providing tax breaks to owners of private jets and now, 8 they’re here. They couldn’t come at a better time as the market for private jets Las Vegas starts really heating up. While once it was thought that only the very wealthy used private jets to get to their destinations, now it’s an opportunity younger clients are starting to seize as a ride-sharing option. The new tax law for private jets means the market for private jets is about to explode even further." [Cirrus Aviation, 6/17/19]

• Axios HEADLINE: “The GOP’s Corporate Jet Tax Loophole Sparks A Market ‘Frenzy’” [Axios, 9/16/18]

Two Aviation Companies, Hired To Charter Former Trump Cabinet Officials Scott Pruitt And Tom Price (Both Of Whom Resigned For Their Use Of Private Flights), Received Nearly $6 Million Total In Coronavirus Relief.

Mayo Aviation, Which Was Paid Over $5,700 For A Private Air Charter For Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, Has Accessed As Much As $5 Million In Pandemic Relief, Double Dipping In The Payroll Support Program And Paycheck Protection Program.

August 4, 2017: Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt Paid $5,719.58 To Mayo Aviation For A Private Air Charter From Denver To Durango, Colorado. “Pruitt and three staff members arranged a private air charter on Aug. 4, on a trip from Denver to Durango, Colo. The flight cost $5,719.58. According to the EPA, the commercial flight Pruitt had planned to take ‘was delayed ultimately for eight hours, which would have caused him to miss a mission critical meeting at Gold King Mine’ with Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) and other officials. Hickenlooper offered a seat on his plane, but Bowman said that the governor’s aircraft only had room for Pruitt and that the EPA already had booked the private plane by then. The charter company involved, Mayo Aviation, bills itself as ‘Colorado’s premier jet charter service.’” [Washington Post, 09/27/17]

July 5, 2018: Scott Pruitt Resigned As Administrator Of The EPA Following “Controversies Over His Lavish Spending, Ethical Lapses And Management Decisions.” [Washington Post, 07/05/18]

May 12, 2020: Mayo Aviation Inc. Received $3,004,182 In Coronavirus Payroll Support. [U.S. Department of the Treasury, accessed 05/21/20]

Mayo Aviation Received A PPP Loan Valued Between $1 Million-$2 Million. [COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

Presidential Aviation, Which Was Paid Over $44,000 For A Private Air Charter For Former HHS Secretary Tom Price, Has Accessed As Much As $4.9 Million In Pandemic Relief, Double Dipping In The Payroll Support Program And Paycheck Protection Program.

May 9, 2017: Presidential Aviation, Inc. Was Awarded A $44,531 Contract From The Department Of Health And Human Services For A Charter Flight For Former HHS Secretary Tom Price. [USASpending.gov, accessed 05/20/20]

September 29, 2017: Tom Price Resigned As HHS Secretary After “Racking Up At Least $400,000 In Travel Bills For Chartered Flights.” “Tom Price, the health and human services secretary, resigned under pressure on Friday after racking up at least $400,000 in travel bills for chartered flights and undermining President Trump’s promise to drain the swamp of a corrupt and entitled capital.” [New York Times, 09/29/17]

April 29, 2020: Presidential Aviation, Inc. Received $2,919,322 In Coronavirus Payroll Support. [U.S. Department of the Treasury, accessed 05/21/20]

Presidential Aviation Received A PPP Loan Valued Between $1 Million-$2 Million. [COVID Bailout Tracker, Accoutable.US, accessed 08/06/20]

9 Mere Months After Allegations Of Price-Gouging Deportation Flights And Receiving A Separate Nearly $78 Million Federal Contract For Air Charters, Omni International Air Received Over $67 Million In Trump Bailout Money.

Treasury Department And Omni Air International LLC Agreed To A $67,071,357 Bailout

May 20, 2020: Treasury Department And Omni Air International LLC Agreed To A $67,071,357 Bailout. [Department of the Treasury, 5/20/20]

• Omni Air International LLC Was Based Out Of Tulsa, OK. [Department of the Treasury, 5/20/20]

Q1 2020: Omni Air Drove Growth For Its Parent Company, Which Reported Revenues Were Up $41.1 Million To $389.3 Million.

Accounting For COVID, Air Transport Service Group Expected Adjusted Earnings To "Exceed Our 2019 Total Of $452 Million." "Due to uncertainties brought about by the global pandemic, ATSG is no longer able to provide specific guidance for its Adjusted EBITDA for the full year 2020, as the level and duration of COVID-19 impacts, primarily on our passenger business, is difficult to forecast. However, based on our current outlook, we expect 2020 Adjusted EBITDA to exceed our 2019 total of $452 million." [Air Transport Services Group, Press Release, 5/5/20]

Air Transport Services Group HEADLINE: “ATSG Reports Strong First Quarter 2020 Results” [Air Transport Services Group, Press Release, 5/5/20]

2020 Q1: ATSG’s Customer Revenues Were Up 12 Percent ($41.1 Million) To $389.3 Million. “ATSG's first quarter 2020 results, as compared with the first quarter of 2019, include: Customer revenues up 12 percent, or $41.1 million, to $389.3 million.” [Air Transport Services Group, Press Release, 5/5/20] • “First-Quarter Revenues For ACMI Services Increased 10 Percent […] Stemming Mainly From Growth In Omni Air And ATI Operations.” [Air Transport Services Group, Press Release, 5/5/20]

November 2019: Omni Air Was The Sole Company Willing To Operate “High-Risk” Deportation Flights, Taking In Double The Going Rate For The Trips And Piloting The Most Expensive Deportation Flight To Date At $1.8 Million.

Quartz HEADLINE: “The Sole Airline Willing To Operate ‘High-Risk’ Deportation Flights Is Price- Gouging ICE” [Quartz, 12/5/19]

• “Special High-Risk Charter” Deportations Included High-Profile Cases, Disruptive Detainees, And Detainees That Were Wanted Abroad. “ICE says these flights typically transport detainees who, among other things, are involved in high-profile removal cases, may become disruptive during commercial flights, or are wanted in their home countries.” [Quartz, 12/5/19]

• Federal Air Charter Broker: “Many Carriers Are Discouraged By The Potential Of Public Backlash Or Negative Media Attention […] As A Result, Out Carrier Selection Pool Was Been Reduced To A Single Operator, Omni [Air International].” “According to an unredacted ICE document obtained by Quartz, which was drawn up in November to justify a budget overrun, an air charter broker informed ICE officials that there is only one carrier willing to take part in certain deportation operations, which means the outfit can charge exorbitant amounts for the service. ‘Many carriers are discouraged by the potential of public backlash or negative media attention,’ the broker wrote. ‘As a result, our carrier selection pool has been reduced to a single operator, Omni.’ ‘Omni’ is Omni Air International, an Oklahoma-based charter company that flies so-called ‘special high-risk charter’ (SHRC) deportation missions.” [Quartz, 12/5/19]

• Omni Was “Acutely Aware” That It Was The Sole Provider Of High-Risk Deportations. “Omni was hired by Classic Air Charter (CAC), ICE’s primary broker for air charters, and is “acutely aware that they 10 are our sole, accessible and experienced source for providing large SHRC aircraft,” the document explains. [Quartz, 12/5/19]

• ICE Was “Paying Nearly Double The Going Rate To Carry Out ‘High-Risk’ Deportation Flights.” “US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is paying nearly double the going rate to carry out ‘high-risk’ deportation flights, largely because so many air charter companies refuse to do business with the agency. According to an unredacted ICE document obtained by Quartz, which was drawn up in November to justify a budget overrun, an air charter broker informed ICE officials that there is only one carrier willing to take part in certain deportation operations, which means the outfit can charge exorbitant amounts for the service.” [Quartz, 12/5/19]

• November 2019: ICE Paid “A Whopping $33,500 Per Hour” To Charter One Flight Carrying 163 People. “Because of this, ICE paid a whopping $33,500 per hour to charter a Boeing 777-200ER for a Nov. 18, 2019 deportation flight carrying 163 people from Arizona to Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam. By comparison, the smaller Boeing 767, for which ICE had originally contracted, would have cost just $17,214.80 per hour—about half the per-hour price ICE ultimately wound up spending.” [Quartz, 12/5/19]

o In All, The Flight Cost Taxpayers $1.8 Million, Making It The “Most Expensive ICE Deportation Flight To Date.” “In all, the Nov. 18 ICE deportation flight operated by Omni cost US taxpayers a total of $1.8 million—roughly $280,000 more than the original order price. This makes it the most expensive ICE deportation flight to date, according to figures shared with Quartz by UWCHR, which amassed a trove of historical ICE data through the Freedom of Information Act.” [Quartz, 12/5/19]

October 2019: U.S. Transportation Command Awarded Omni Air International A Nearly $78 Million Federal Contract For Charter Services.

October 2019: Omni Air International Received A $77,654,435 Task Order From U.S. Transportation Command For “International Charter Airlift Services In Support Of The Civil Reserve Air Fleet.” [Tulsa World, 10/4/19]

Trump Administration Increased Deportations Of Migrant Children Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.

ProPublica HEADLINE: “The Trump Administration Is Rushing Deportations of Migrant Children During Coronavirus” [ProPublica, 5/18/20]

• Amid The Pandemic, “The U.S. Government Has Aggressively Begun To Rush The Deportations Of Some Of The Most Vulnerable Migrant Children In Its Care To Countries” Rampant With Violence. “As the nation remains focused on COVID-19, the U.S. government has aggressively begun to rush the deportations of some of the most vulnerable migrant children in its care to countries where they have been raped, beaten or had a parent killed, according to attorneys, court filings and congressional staff. While the deportation of children to dangerous situations is not a new phenomenon for U.S. authorities, what has shocked even veteran immigration attorneys is that the government is trying to so quickly remove, arguably against federal law, those most imperiled — all during a global pandemic.” [ProPublica, 5/18/20]

Immigrant Rights Attorney: “It Is Disappointing That The Response To Omni Air To Public Outrage Over Xenophobia And The Tearing Apart Of Families Through Deportation Is To Seek Bigger Profit.” “‘It is disappointing that the response of Omni Air to public outrage over xenophobia and the tearing apart of families through deportation is to seek a bigger profit rather than sever ties with ICE,’ Anoop Prasad, staff attorney for the Immigrant Rights Program at the nonprofit Asian Law Caucus, told Quartz.” [Quartz, 12/5/19]

11 Private Jet Companies Are Rapidly Rebounding From The Pandemic And Have Not Been “Hit Nearly As Hard” As Commercial Airlines, As The Industry Is Attracting New Customers That Find It To Be A “Safer Alternative” To Flying Commercial.

Private Jet Companies Have Not Been “Hit Nearly As Hard” As Commercial Airlines And The Industry Is Attracting New Customers That Find It To Be A “Safer Alternative” To Flying “Cramped Commercial Flights.”

New York Times: There Is A “Growing Number Of Americans Using Private Jets, Seeing Them As A Safer Alternative To The Often Cramped Commercial Flights Filled With Strangers During The Pandemic.” “Ms. Shangraw is among the growing number of Americans using private jets, seeing them as a safer alternative to the often cramped commercial flights filled with strangers during the pandemic. The day after the Fourth of July, when commercial airline travel was down 74 percent year-over-year, private jet flights were up five percent, according to an analysis of data from Argus, an aviation consulting firm, by Doug Gollan, who runs the website Private Jet Card Comparisons.” [Sally Franch, “Afraid of Airlines? There’s Always the Private Jet,” The New York Times, 07/30/20]

Private Jet Companies Have “Not Been Hit Nearly As Hard” As “Commercial Air Travel.” “While commercial air travel is getting pummeled, private jet travel has not been hit nearly as hard […] By June, private jet operators saw just a 22 percent decrease [in passenger count].” [Sally Franch, “Afraid of Airlines? There’s Always the Private Jet,” The New York Times, 07/30/20]

Private Jet Companies Are “Seeing A Rapid Rebound From The Coronavirus Crisis” And Are “In Much Better Shape Than Airlines.”

Private Jet Companies Are “Seeing A Rapid Rebound From The Coronavirus Crisis” With The Growth “Being Driven Almost Entirely By New Customers Drawn To Flying Private Because Of Health Concerns And Lower Jet Prices.” “The private-jet industry is seeing a rapid rebound from the coronavirus crisis, as new customers who had never flown private splurge to avoid the crowds and lines of commercial flying. While commercial traffic is running about 15% to 17% of last year’s totals, private flights are running at up to 70% or more of normal, according to industry data and Private Jet Card Comparisons. Some private-jet charter companies are even running above their year-ago numbers. The growth is being driven almost entirely by new customers drawn to flying private because of health concerns and lower jet prices.” [Robert Frank, “Private jet flights surge on health fears, lower prices,” CNBC, 06/19/20]

Private Jet Companies Are “In Much Better Shape Than Airlines” As “There Is A Strong Flow Of New- To-Private-Aviation Customers” Along With “Existing Customers Flying For Personal Reasons.” “‘With virtually no business travel, the rebound was fueled by existing customers flying for personal reasons and newcomers to the market,’ Mr. Gollan said. ‘Private flying isn’t fully back, but certainly the industry is in much better shape than airlines. There is a strong flow of new-to-private-aviation customers.’” [Sally Franch, “Afraid of Airlines? There’s Always the Private Jet,” The New York Times, 07/30/20]

Private Jet Companies Have Reported Increases In “Monthly Membership Sales,” Flights Sold To “First-Time Customers,” And “Inquiries From Potential Customers.”

The Private Jet Company XO “Said Monthly Membership Sales Between March And May 2020 Among First-Time Private Jet Fliers Averaged Five Times Higher Than Their Monthly Averages.” “XO, which offers both private charters and the ability to book individual seats on private jets, saw a 19.8 percent decrease in hours flown in the first half of 2020 versus the first half of 2019, according to Argus data. But the company

12 said monthly membership sales between March and May 2020 among first-time private jet fliers averaged five times higher than their monthly averages.” [Sally Franch, “Afraid of Airlines? There’s Always the Private Jet,” The New York Times, 07/30/20]

Sentient Jet Said Over Half “Of The 8,000 Flight Hours In June Were Sold To First-Time Customers, Up From About 25 To 30 Percent In Most Months” And Air Charter Service Said In May And June “It Saw A 75 Percent Increase In Year-Over-Year Inquiries From Potential Customers.” “Two other companies have also seen increased interest. Sentient Jet said more than 50 percent of the 8,000 flight hours in June were sold to first-time customers, up from about 25 to 30 percent in most months. And Air Charter Service said in a press release that in May and June, it saw a 75 percent increase in year-over-year inquiries from potential customers.” [Sally Franch, “Afraid of Airlines? There’s Always the Private Jet,” The New York Times, 07/30/20]

The Private Jet Industry Has Thrived Under Trump Administration, Even Prior To COVID-19 Bailouts.

Trump Tax Cuts Sparked Market “Frenzy” For Private Jets.

Trump’s 2017 Tax Law Allowed Executives To Deduct 100-Percent Of Private Jet Travel From Their Taxes. “Demand for private jets has surged in recent months, as business owners and executives flock to take advantage of new provisions in the GOP tax bill that allow them to deduct 100% of a new or used plane's cost on their tax returns, reports the WSJ.” [Axios, 9/16/18]

Trump’s Tax Cuts “Halted A Decade Of Price Falls For The Most Popular Models Of Second-Hand Private Jets.” “Tax changes supported by US president Donald Trump have halted a decade of price falls for the most popular models of second-hand private jets. […] Oliver Stone, managing director of Colibri, said it was “a significant rebound”, which he attributed to a tax change passed by Congress and signed into law by Mr Trump at the end of 2017 after years of declining prices.” [Financial Times, 5/25/19]

Headlines:

• Axios HEADLINE: “The GOP’s Corporate Jet Tax Loophole Sparks A Market ‘Frenzy’” [Axios, 9/16/18]

• Bloomberg HEADLINE: “Trump Tax Law Created Breaks For Wall Street To Buy Private Jets” [Bloomberg, 2/28/19]

• NBC News Opinion HEADLINE: “The Private Plane Tax Loophole Is So Egregious Even Millionaires Like Me Want To Close It” [NBC News, Opinion, Vice Chair of Patriotic Millionaires Stephen Price, 1/16/18]

• The Economist HEADLINE: "Private Jets Receive Ludicrous Tax Breaks That Hurt The Environment” [The Economist, 3/7/19]

• Financial Times: “Second-Hand Private Jet Market Boosted By Donald Trump” [Financial Times, 5/25/19]

Trump Coronavirus Travel Bans Were A Boon For Private Aviation.

Skfit HEADLINE: “Private Jet Bookings Surge In Europe As Trump Travel Ban Nears” [Skift, 3/12/20]

Aljazeera HEADLINE: “In Wake Of Trump’s Travel Ban, The Rich Turn To Private Jets” [Al Jazeera, 5/25/20]

13 Trump Administration Repeatedly Went To Bat For Airlines To Charge Unreasonable Or Opaque Fees.

December 2017, Bloomberg HEADLINE: “Rules Requiring Airlines to Disclose Fees Killed by Trump's DOT” [Bloomberg, 12/7/17]

May 2018: Trump’s Department Of Transportation Wrote To Congress Opposing A Senate Bill Provision That Would Have Banned “Unreasonable” Airline Fees. “The Department of Transportation (DOT) told Congress it is opposed to a provision in a Senate bill that would prohibit airline fees that are not “reasonable and proportional,” according to Reuters. In April, the House passed a bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Senate is expected to take up the issue as early as next month. The Senate Commerce Committee passed legislation last year that would extend the FAA. However, the DOT told Congress in a letter obtained by Reuters on Friday that it was opposed to the Senate bill's fee provision that bars airlines from ‘unreasonable’ fees related to cancellation, baggage, seat selection and same-day changes.” [Aviation Pros, 5/29/18]

Trump Had Deep Ties To Aviation Industry And Hosted Aviation Executives At The White House Early In His Presidency.

Trump Met With Airline Executives Roughly Two Weeks After Taking Office, Calling The Industry “Really Big Stuff, Really Amazing”

White House Press Release HEADLINE: “Remarks By President Trump In Meeting With The Aviation industry” [White House, “Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with the Aviation Industry,” 2/9/17]

• Trump Called The Airline Industry “Really Big Stuff, Really Amazing.” “I’m thrilled to welcome the leaders of the airline industry to the White House. Your industry supports over 10 million well-paying U.S. jobs and creates almost $1 trillion in economic activity, which is really big stuff, really amazing.” [White House, “Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with the Aviation Industry,” 2/9/17]

Trump’s Business Background Gave Him A Unique Relationship With Aviation Industry

Reuters HEADLINE: “Ties Between Boeing And Trump Run Deep” [Reuters, 3/12/19]

• Trump Owned His Own Airline, Had A Private Jet, Was An “Aviation Enthusiast,” And Took “Visible Delight In The Presidential Aircraft.” “The U.S. president, who owned his own airline, Trump Shuttle, from 1989 to 1992, is an aviation enthusiast. Before becoming president he had his own private jet and since his inauguration, he has taken visible delight in the presidential aircraft, Air Force One.” [Reuters, 3/12/19]

• Trump’s “Aviation Connections Have Expanded During His Presidency To Include Relationships With Powerful Executives.” “His aviation connections have expanded during his presidency to include relationships with powerful executives in the defense industry, including Muilenburg, with whom he has talked several times.” [Reuters, 3/12/19]

March 2020: That Private Jet Companies Could Receive “Billions In Aid” Sparked Criticism That Such Bailouts Would Be “Absurd.”

Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic, Private Jet Companies Stood To Receive “Billions Of Dollars In Loans, Aid, And Tax Relief From The Federal Government.” “Private-jet companies could receive billions of dollars in loans, aid and tax relief from the federal government as part of the $2 trillion coronavirus aid package. Under the bill, private-jet charter companies and jet-card companies will receive several types of help from the federal government. First, private-jet companies will no longer have to pay a 7.5% tax. The tax, known as Federal Excise Tax, is charged to customers of private-jet charters and jet-card users. The tax won’t be charged for the 14 rest of the year. Jet companies also won’t have to pay any fuel taxes. In addition, private-jet companies will be eligible to receive funding from the $25 billion in loans and loan guarantees available to the aviation industry. They are also included in the $25 billion in grant payments for the continuation of wage payments to workers. Private-jet airports and smaller airports will also receive more than $100 million in federal funding under the bill.” [CNBC, 03/29/20]

• The CARES Act Repealed Federal Excise Tax And Fuel Taxes For Private Jet Companies Through The End Of 2020. "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), enacted March 27, 2020, creates an "excise tax holiday period" for certain aviation excise taxes from March 28, 2020 through December 31, 2020. [...] IRC Sections 4041 and 4081 impose taxes on fuel, including fuels used in aviation. The CARES Act considers kerosene (commonly known as jet fuel) used in commercial aviation to be a nontaxable use under IRC Section 6427(l) and provides that no tax will be imposed on kerosene used in commercial aviation under IRC Sections 4041(c) and 4081 from March 28, 2020 through December 31, 2020." [Ernst & Young Tax News, 3/30/20]

The Bailouts “Sparked Criticism,” With One Economist Calling Them “Absurd” And Arguing, “Putting Up Public Money To Support An Industry That Serves The Rich Would Be Hard To Justify.’” “Yet using taxpayer funding to help an industry that caters to the wealthy has also sparked criticism. Before the bill was announced, Dean Baker, senior economist at the liberal-leaning Center for Economic Policy, told CNBC: ‘It’s hard to imagine anything worse. Putting up public money to support an industry that serves the rich would be hard to justify. It’s absurd.’” [CNBC, 03/29/20]

Trump’s Treasury Department Denied Political Favoritism, While Private Jet Executives Claimed Media Coverage “Distorts” Truths About Their Industry.

Bailouts To Private Jet Companies Tied To Trump Donors Received Widespread Media Attention.

HEADLINE: “Private Jet Company Founded By Trump Donor Gets $27 Million Bailout.” [CNBC, 05/14/20]

• Clay Lacy Aviation, A Private Jet Company Founded By A Trump Donor Received Nearly $27 Million In Bailout Funds. “A private jet company founded by a donor to President Donald Trump received nearly $27 million in government funding under a program run by the Treasury Department, according to government filings. Clay Lacy Aviation, a private jet charter company based in Van Nuys, California, that serves wealthy executives and celebrities, received the government grant as part of the CARES Act, a $2 trillion federal stimulus package aimed at supporting jobs during the coronavirus crisis.” [CNBC, 05/14/20]

HEADLINE: “Another Private Jet Company Owned by a Trump Donor Got a Bailout — This One for $20 Million.” [Government Executive, 05/19/20]

• Jet Linx Aviation, A Second Jet Company Owned By A Trump Donor Received $20 Million In Bailout Funds. “An Omaha, Nebraska-based private jet company whose principal owner donated generously to Donald Trump and Republicans ahead of the 2016 election received $20 million in taxpayer aid from the federal bailout package passed in March. Jet Linx Aviation, which caters to well-to-do CEOs and executives, was the second private plane company founded or owned by Trump donors to receive federal funds designated for the airline industry under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.” [Government Executive, 05/19/20]

Beyond Clay Lacy And Jet Linx, “No Other Top 10 Private Jet Company Received Federal Grants” Or Bailout Money. “Jet Linx and Clay Lacy are among the most prominent in the industry: Last year, the flight tracking firm Argus Traqpak ranked them fifth and 11th, respectively, in hours logged, according to a list of the

15 top 25 private air charter operations. No other top 10 private jet company received federal grants.” [Government Executive, 05/19/20]

The Average Bailout For Other Private Jet Companies Was “About A Tenth Of What Jet Linx And Clay Lacy Each Received.” “The average grant amount for the 70 private jet companies to receive aid was $2.2 million, about a tenth of what Jet Linx and Clay Lacy each received.” [Government Executive, 05/19/20]

The Trump Treasury Department Denied Favoritism, Claiming “Political Affiliation Has Absolutely No Bearing” On The Private Jet Bailouts.

The Trump Treasury Department Claimed “Political Affiliation Has Absolutely No Bearing On The Payroll Support Program.” “‘The standard for determining air carrier eligibility was set by Congress on a bipartisan basis and each applicant’s eligibility is verified by the Department of Transportation before any funds are disbursed,’ a spokesperson at the Treasury Department said in an email. ‘Political affiliation has absolutely no bearing on the Payroll Support Program, including applicant eligibility, the amount of assistance provided, or use of funds.’” [Robert Frank, “Private jet company founded by Trump donor gets $27 million bailout,” CNBC, 05/14/20]

Private Jet Industry Trade Group Penned A Letter Complaining That The Coverage Of Its Bailouts “Distorts” And Has “Mischaracterized Business Aviation.”

President And CEO: The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) “Represents Private-Jet Companies And Owners As Well As General Aviation Companies.” [CNBC, 05/29/20]

NBAA Letter HEADLINE: “CNBC Distorts Pandemic’s Impact on Business Aviation, Specifically Charter Company Clay Lacy.” [National Business Aviation Association, 05/28/20]

• The NBAA Sent A Letter Complaining To CNBC About Its Story On The Bailouts, Arguing It “Misrepresented Business Aviation Charter Company Clay Lacy.” “A recent CNBC story misrepresented business aviation charter company Clay Lacy, and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on many companies like it, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen and National Air Transportation Association President and CEO Tim Obitts wrote in a letter to the network.” [National Business Aviation Association, 05/28/20]

• NBAA’s Letter To CNBC: “Your Recent Story Mischaracterized Business Aviation.” “Your recent story mischaracterized business aviation, including its misrepresentation of a charter company, and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on many companies like it. We respectfully request the opportunity to set the record straight.” [National Business Aviation Association, 05/28/20]

16 Methodology

The purpose of this document was to explore the private jet industry’s access to federal pandemic relief aid and the industry’s business operations during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Accountable.US identified the recipients of the Treasury Department’s Payroll Support Program Payments that are private jet companies. Accountable.US then searched for those companies in the Small Business Administration’s data on recipients of Paycheck Protection Program loans valued at $150,000 or more and in the Small Business Administration’s data on recipients of Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program funds. This data was compiled by Accountable.US and can be found in an attached excel sheet.

Campaign contributions were obtained from the FEC and lobbying expenses were identified in the U.S. Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure Act database. Research on the private jet industry and individual private jet companies was compiled from clips searches in google and Nexis.