“The United States is taking aim at ‘excessive’ business class air travel by UN staff as it presses a campaign to restrain the global body’s multi-billion dollar budget. The United Nations spent at least $769 million of its general budget of more than $5 billion in 2010-11 on moving officials and staff around the world, according to UN figures. The peacekeeping department, which has its own budget, spent another $200 million. Some $54 million of the $74 million of air tickets bought at the main headquarters in New York and Geneva were business class. Diplomats say the figure is probably much higher as no clear figures have been given.”
