Imagine if Air Force One could be rented out for parties! Well, that’s what’s about to happen in Mexico… sort of.
Basics of Mexico’s unwanted Boeing 787
Years ago the government of Mexico spent $218 million acquiring a Boeing 787-8, intended to act as the new plane for the president of Mexico. Plans for that changed in 2018, when Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was elected as president.
He’s more of a “man of the people,” and has opted to take commercial flights rather than use the Boeing 787, claiming it’s a waste of money, and an “insult” to the people of Mexico. Heck, he has even often been spotted in economy.
Unfortunately this plane still poses an issue — the government has a 787 on its hands that it doesn’t have any need for. For the past several years the government has been trying to sell the jet, but without luck. As you’d expect, this plane is specially outfitted, so you’d basically need someone looking to buy the private jet equivalent of the Boeing 787. Converting this into a passenger aircraft would simply be too costly for that to make sense.
In 2020 Lopez Obrador even got creative, and planned to have a national raffle where someone could win the Boeing 787. Of course that almost sounds like a joke — even if you win the plane, what are you actually supposed to do with it, given the maintenance and operating costs?
You can soon rent the Mexican president’s plane!
On Monday, Lopez Obrador came up with a new idea to cut losses associated with the plane — he wants the government to start renting out the jet for birthday and wedding parties.
The plane will be handed over to a military-run company in charge of Mexico City’s new airport, and will be available if someone “is getting married and is going to take their family and friends.” It’s also suggested that this could be a good option for company and birthday trips.
The goal is simply to cover many of the losses currently associated with the aircraft. After all, letting the plane deteriorate to the point where it’s no longer airworthy would further ruin the prospects of this jet ever being sold. The plane features 80 seats, a bedroom, a private bathroom suite, and more.
Now, this is certainly a unique concept, but:
- How many people have the money to rent out a Boeing 787 for a party?
- Even if you have the money to rent a plane like this, do you really want to do so through a government, rather than through a private party?
This is creative, but I’m skeptical as to whether there will be any meaningful demand for this.
Bottom line
Mexico’s government has a Boeing 787 that it wants to get rid of, as it’s viewed as being wasteful. Unfortunately the government hasn’t had much luck selling the plane. Therefore the latest plan seems to be to rent out the plane for special occasions, all managed by a military-run company. The goal is to cover the maintenance costs of the aircraft.
I can’t imagine this plan will be particularly successful either, but who knows…
What do you make of the Mexican government’s latest plan for the 787?
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