It has been suggested the main cost benefit of Blair1 & 2 is not having to replace the aging Queen's Flight but the RAF will still maintain a Support Command Comms Flight which all Ministers & Royal Family could use for UK trips
For prestige you might expect the Govt & Royal Family to support the 'UK National Airline' for trips beyond the UK
If prestige, safety and secure comms are important, why are they only leasing second-hand aircraft at £12.7M / yr. The capital cost of new would be offset over 25 years
Why did TB scrap the Royal Yacht? because he couldn't book it?
Comments from tonight's Questiontime
1. A/c only pay their way when flying (charter rather than contract leasing? )
2. In the last year HM used the Royal Flight 7 times, Tony et al ~700
3. Maybe Tony has realised that road & rail travel in the UK is impossible
The public perception is that Tone wants to emulate Bush. If he wants his own a/c I would support the taxpayer contributing to his PPL trg