PARIS: Plans to buy a new presidential jet for France´s Emmanuel Macron could be held up because of a controversy sparked by his prime minister, who hired a private plane for 350,000 euros ($416,000) to fly home from Japan. Business paper La Tribune said news of Edouard Philippe´s costly Japan-to-Paris charter had come at a bad time, with Macron ? who has campaigned against wasteful spending ? about to decide on a new presidential plane. France´s equivalent of Air Force One is an old Airbus A330 that was bought second-hand 10 years ago and given a luxury refit for use by Nicolas Sarkozy, whose penchant for high-living earned him the nickname ?President Bling Bling?. At Macron´s office, an official played down the jet issue, saying a new purchase was being considered before he took office in May and that the government was waiting for a report on the matter before making a decision.
12-22-2017, 12:50 PM
Macron?s presidential jet plan hits bad-publicity turbulence
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