Google Inc (GOOG): Who Needs TSA Lines When You Have $82M?

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has quite the aristocracy when it comes to flying. There are very few times that Larry Page, Eric Schmidt or Sergey Brin need to bother themselves with TSA security lines at airports, when one considers that the three of them own eight private planes between them – one of which is a converted Boeing 767 that is lovingly dubbed the “party plane.” As one might naturally expect, though, with so many planes available for travel at nearly a moment’s notice, there might be a need to park those planes somewhere convenient, like, you know … an airport.

But if the airport isn’t big enough and you have about $82 million sitting around, why not create your own terminal, in effect, but have the city pay for it? Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is apparently one large step closer to doing just that, as the San Jose City Council recently approved a plan to expand the San Jose International Airport by about 30 acres, allowing a private firm to build a fixed-base operation (FBO) on the airport property, which would include a terminal, seven hangars (of which Google would reportedly own or control five of them) and other amenities for Silicon Valley’s elite – which presumes that there are other elites besides the top dogs at Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG).

It is reported that the $82 million will produce about 150 construction jobs during the project, about three dozen on-site permanent jobs and an unknown number of off-site positions.

Image: Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)

There is no timetable as far as completion of the site or even when construction will begin at this point, but it certainly is interesting that Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) is able to flex its muscle to get city funds to pay for a place for the top brass at Google to house their private jet collection.

What do you think about this plan? Give us your feedback in the comments section below.

For an equally intriguing video about Google’s aeronautical adventures, check out the Alpha Jet on the following page: