One lawmaker used a private jet as an “air taxi” from his Houston-area home to Austin.
HOUSTON — Forget the security lines, boarding delays and hassles of flying commercially in economy class: Hundreds of state employees and elected officials in Texas fly on state-owned private jets, but the perk has little oversight, a KHOU 11 investigation has found.
The flights included a senior official who used a private jet as an “air taxi” several times to travel from the Houston area to Austin. Other state officials spent thousands of dollars in taxpayer money to fly on state planes even though their routes were covered by less-expensive commercial airlines, according to Texas Department of Transportation flight records and invoices.
TxDOT tried three times to block the release of these records, and it took KHOU’s lawyers 10 months to step in and finally get all of the records.
“I think what we need here is transparency,” said Adrienne Shelley, Texas director of the government watchdog group Public Citizen. “As taxpayers, it should be important to us to make sure our money is being spent wisely.”
The records document the movements of four executive jets owned by the Texas Department of Transportation. These jets offer comfort, convenience and flexible schedules and can quickly shuttle public officials anywhere in the state, as long as the flight meets certain conditions and the trip is on “official state business.”
Whether those officials follow the rules is left to the honor system.
“Our role is to maintain and operate these planes,” said Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Adam Hammons.
Hammons repeated that answer seven times during a five-minute conversation with KHOU 11 investigative reporter Jeremy Rogalski. When asked to clarify who would ensure the flight was legal, Hammons repeated a different answer six times.
“Agencies and individuals requesting these flights have a responsibility to verify the state’s need for these flights,” Hammons said.
State law provides several reasons why TxDOT-owned aircraft can be used.
The destination is not served by commercial airlines, TxDOT transportation is the most cost-effective means of transportation, the time required to travel on a commercial airline interferes with passenger obligations, DPS representatives determine that state aircraft is necessary due to safety concerns, high passenger volume makes use of state aircraft cost-effective, or an emergency requires use of state aircraft.
Records show that most flights accomplished these objectives, including transporting multiple passengers to cities with no commercial air service, including a groundbreaking ceremony in Galveston, a presentation in Marfa, a press conference in Uvalde and a disaster site visit in Hereford.
“This is a big state. Of course it makes sense to fly to get to certain places at certain times,” Shelley said.
He added that without proper oversight, the rules could easily be broken.
“The honor system doesn’t seem to be working. There is no one in the department who is clearly accountable. There seems to be a flaw here,” Shelley said.
Cost-effective travel?
Taking TxDOT flights as the most cost-effective option had some problematic flights, including a trip from one big city to another with only one passenger.
Although Southwest Airlines offers direct service from Austin to Lubbock, state Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) flew solo from Austin to Lubbock on the state’s jet to accept his Distinguished Farmer award, at a cost to taxpayers of $3,022.
Or U.S. Senator John Cornyn, who flew from Baltimore to Austin on Jan. 7, 2021, for $8,511 in taxpayer-paid expenses. Part of that high cost was due to the fact that an Austin-based plane had to fly empty from Austin to Baltimore to pick up Cornyn.


Elaine Mendoza, a former Texas A&M University trustee, flew solo from Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport to San Antonio for $2,779.
University of Texas System Rep. Christina Crain flew twice from Austin to Addison in the Dallas area for meetings, with the average cost to taxpayers coming in at $1,954.
A University of Texas System spokesman said TxDOT’s use of the planes was reviewed and approved in advance and complies with state statutory requirements and board rules.
“This is primarily used when commercial air traffic impedes or interferes with the board’s obligation to return home to carry out its duties,” said Paul Corliss, vice chancellor for external relations and public affairs.
Shelley said the cost of flying is not small.
“And those are resources that, you know, could be used for many other purposes, right?” Shelley said. “So I think as taxpayers we have an interest in knowing that every time these planes are used, it’s being done for a legitimate public purpose.”
On some flights, the official purpose of the flight was vague: For example, Texas A&M University President John Sharp took a $2,934 round-trip flight from College Station to Dallas, but the specific state purpose was listed simply as “state business.”




“When you have an honor system that doesn’t even ask the most basic question of whether this is for public use, that’s just a system that’s going to be wasted,” Shelley said.
The offices of Cornyn, Perry, Mendoza and Sharp did not respond to requests for comment.
National aircraft as an “air taxi”
Shelley works in Austin and said she always drives to Houston when she needs to go there.
A KHOU 11 investigation has found that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick sometimes makes that trip a different way: He lives in northwest Harris County, about a two-and-a-half hour drive from the State Capitol and less than 15 minutes from David Wayne Hooks Airport.
Records show that Texas Department of Transportation pilots flew at least three times from Austin to Hooks to pick up Patrick and take him to Austin. Hours later, the pilots flew the lieutenant governor back to Hooks, dropped him off, and then returned to Austin the same day.




The average cost was about $3,500.
“If they’re using state planes essentially as taxis, as air taxis, at $3,000 or $4,000 apiece, I think it’s fair to question whether that’s the best use of state funds,” Shelley said.
There were several other flights where Patrick was picked up at Fuchs but either went to another destination or did not return to Fuchs that same day.
“Lt. Governor Patrick almost always travels by car from his Houston-area home to Austin,” said Steven Alanyi, a spokesman for Lt. Governor Patrick. “His travel rarely involves state aircraft and is always for law-abiding government business.”
It’s up to Patrick and other public employees to follow the law, Texas DOT’s Hammons reiterated.
“Is anyone checking to see if these flights are legal?”
Hammons responded: “It’s up to them to examine the state’s needs.”
When asked, “If you break the rules, are the rules broken?”
Hammons responded similarly, saying, “It is the responsibility of the requesting agency or individual to verify the state’s need,” adding, “Our role is to fly the planes, and we will continue to do that.”