Even if it is true, as İbrahim Kalın suggests, that the Boeing 747 was a gift with no cost, a few questions remain:
1) What is the quid pro quo?
2) Who will pay maintenance and how much?
3) If we're getting gifts, why another plane and not something that might help the economy?
1) What is the quid pro quo?
2) Who will pay maintenance and how much?
3) If we're getting gifts, why another plane and not something that might help the economy?
I am reminded of a story that used to go round when we were philosophy undergraduates. A student was asked in an end of year exam, "Can pure altruism exist?"
He simply wrote, "No", walked out and, legend goes, got top marks.
So do Qatari Sheikhs have hearts of gold?
He simply wrote, "No", walked out and, legend goes, got top marks.
So do Qatari Sheikhs have hearts of gold?
Just on the operating costs, it is telling that most airline carriers are moving away from 747s because the economics of running the jet make no sense. Fuel costs are incredibly high for one and that is on top of upkeep, storage etc. See siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTAIRTRANSPOR… for a sense.
Given my later tweets may answer 1 and 2, let me offer a view on question 3: the opportunity cost of accepting this gift.
One assumes Turkey does not get endless gifts from even its allies. With an economic crisis approaching, saying no could have been incredibly symbolic.
One assumes Turkey does not get endless gifts from even its allies. With an economic crisis approaching, saying no could have been incredibly symbolic.
