Austrian government’s travel habits unaffected by Polish plane crash
Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Werner Faymann has made clear he would continue to board a plane together with Peoples Party (ÖVP) Vice Chancellor Josef Pröll.His announcement comes after all 97 passengers of a Polish government plane died in a crash last Saturday, including president Lech Kaczyński and high-ranking military leaders. Some newspapers and commentators condemned the decision to have so many influential personalities and decision-makers on a single plane.Faymann said today (Tues): “The vice chancellor and me have flown together in the past, and I dont think there are plans to make changes about this for the future.”Pröll admitted he was annoyed by the debate. The vice chancellor said he did not want to waste a thought about the public outcry and complaints by the opposition if the government decided to make state visits “with six different planes”.Faymann meanwhile said the general safety in air traffic needed to be kept high instead of discussing the security of political leaders.