Air Force None: Mexico’s next president wants to sell US$392 million Dreamliner jet
- Leftist president-elect has promised to travel on commercial flights in push to rule with frugality and restraint Andres
- Amlo’s other populist undertakings include slashing his own salary
In less than three weeks he will be sworn in as president of the world’s sixth largest democracy.
First, however, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has an aircraft to shift.
“It’s not just an efficient, modern plane – it’s a comfy plane, with a bedroom, a restaurant, with lots of space,” Mexico’s incoming leader said of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner for which he is seeking a buyer.
Selling Mexico’s presidential jet was part of a package of populist pledges that Lopez Obrador – or Amlo, as he is best known – made ahead of his landslide election victory in July.
In line with his promise to rule with frugality and restraint, the 64-year-old leftist has promised to travel on commercial flights rather than a luxury aircraft for which he said Mexico had paid up to 8 billion pesos (US$392 million) and cost 500 million pesos a year to maintain.
Last week, Amlo, who will be sworn in on December 1, issued a global call out to potential purchasers in “every corner of the world”.