WASHINGTON: The US military has provided an updated estimate on the cost of running Air Force One and the amount is a staggering $181,757 per hour.The figures that were first published by a taxpayer watchdog group showed the cost of shuttling around President Barack Obama, who is said to have spent more days abroad in his first two years than any other president.
The estimates over the years based on government and independent reports have always shown a steep cost for presidential travel, but the figures provided by the 89th Airlift Wing appears to be higher than any previous reports.
The National Taxpayers Union Foundation had first published it in a presidential travel report this week. "It's astonishing. It's far higher than any other ... figure that's been reported on," Fox News quoted policy analyst Demian Brady, who wrote the study, as saying.
"It's very surprising, and of course it's just a fraction of the overall cost involved with presidential travel," he stated.
Master Sgt Jeff Capenos, with the 89th Airlift Wing, said the figure reflects operating costs ranging from fuel to engine and aircraft maintenance . When asked why other public estimates, which typically did not exceed $100,000, were so much lower, he said they were probably inaccurate. The National Taxpayers Union referred to the publication of the statistic as a "major coup for public disclosure" .
Brady said the high price tag, as compared with prior estimates, could be attributed not just to inflation , but a better and more specific accounting of the associated costs, as well as upgrades made to the aircraft. He urged the administration to be even more forthcoming with presidential travel costs. Brady also used his report in part to tackle rumors about the cost of Obama's 10-day post-election tour through Asia.