Media outlets, citing Mexican news agencies, say the Government to Tajikistan has purchased the Mexican presidential jet, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Simple Flying reports that Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on April 20 announced the sale of the presidential jet, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, to the government of Tajikistan. Since the beginning of his term, Mr. López Obrador reportedly tried to sell the presidential jet, registration XC-MEC or TP-01. Bought by his predecessors, this wide-body VIP jet was described by the president as a “pharaonic and indecent aircraft.”
Mr. López Obrador reportedly announced on social media the sale of this aircraft. The jet was reportedly sold for 92 million US dollars, half the total for which it was initially bought. Former president Felipe Calderón reportedly acquired the aircraft for 218 million US dollars in 2012. In the past, he had hoped to sell the aircraft for at least 150 million US dollars.
Only one Mexican president ever used the presidential Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Enrique Peña Nieto, who was in office between 2012 and 2018, reportedly employed the aircraft on 214 flights, totaling about 600,000 kilometers.
With the money received, the Mexican government has promised to build two hospitals in Tlapa and Tuxtepec, two of the poorest municipalities in the country.
According to Simple Flying, Mr. López Obrador said, “We got rid of this pending because it was tough for us to find a client. And we are happy; we are like the nouveau riche, who buy a yacht or an airplane like this one, and are happy only the day they use it for the first time and the day they sell it.”
The plane has a VIP interior with marble touches. It is configured to carry only 80 people and has a presidential suite with a private bath. The Associated Press reported that reconfiguring this 787 into a typical passenger jet (which can carry up to 300 passengers) would be very expensive.
The Tajik authorities have not yet announced the purchase of this aircraft. It is not known which Tajikistan’s airline purchased the Mexican presidential jet.
