Presidential plane is still on sale; it was raffled in 2020 but the Army will rent it for events

In October 2012, the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) instructed the National Bank for Public Works and Services (Banobras) to purchase the B-787-8 Strategic Transport Aircraft for Presidential and General Staff use, with a total cost of 218 million 660 thousand 689 dollars.

Once in the hands of the Mexican government, the aircraft came under the operation of Sedena through the figure of financial leasing. Originally this contract would be for 15 years. In February 2020, Banobras reported that it was working with the Army to settle the lease of the presidential plane, with which the bank expected savings of up to 697 million pesos.

That is, the purpose of the settlement by Sedena was to use the money for the payment that the Mexican government would make from 2020 to 2027 for two concepts: debt repayment and interest payment to the aircraft supplier.

The José María Morelos y Pavón TP-01 aircraft was raffled on September 15, 2020 through the National Lottery, however, the winners received a financial amount and not the aircraft, which remains in the possession of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) under the figure of leasing, while the National Bank of Works and Servición Públicos (Banobras) keeps it for sale, only no satisfactory offer has arrived.

According to information submitted by the National Lottery, about 1823 million pesos were raised from ticket sales. In February 2022, the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (INAI) ordered Lotenal to “report on the collaboration agreement”, signed with the Institute to Return the Stolen to the People (INDEP), held on March 12, 2020 to clarify details of the draw and the allocation of resources.

Jorge Mendoza, CEO of Banobras, said that the aircraft is still for sale and will not be wasted, however, he invited those interested in its possible acquisition to come closer to share the necessary information.

The official acknowledged that they had had offers but that none of them have been satisfactory and insisted on the federal administration's position not to finish it below its liquidation price.

Data from the government itself indicate that in September 2019 the Boeing 787 was valued at $127 million by the US company Morten Beyer & Agnew. while the Institute of Management and Appraisal of National Assets (Indaabin) set it at 125.6 million dollars.

This Monday, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, said during his morning conference that the José María Morelos y Pavón TP-01 will be handed over to the company Olmeca, Maya, Mexico, belonging to the Army, so that it can offer it for rent for private events such as weddings, fifteen years or business trips, with the purpose of paying its maintenance.

The president said that the TP-01 will be available for rent if someone “is going to get married and is going to take their family and friends” to distant destinations. In that sense, he explained that they have to be “long trips, to Cancun or (parties) of fifteenth years, or birthdays, or a company that wants to give recognition to its workers for their good performance”.

The Chief Executive acknowledged that the configuration of the aircraft has made it difficult to sell because it is not intended for commercial use, which is why it is unattractive to commercial airlines.

“That's why it cost so much to sell it, it hasn't been possible and we don't want to finish it off either, it has to be sold at an appraisal price,” reiterated AMLO.

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