Private jet firms are soaring in popularity after big COVID-19 bailouts. Were they a 'handout to the wealthy'?

Lingering health concerns about commercial air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic have fueled a boom in private jet travel, a trend that has led to fresh scrutiny of the industry's taxpayer bailout -- which some critics are calling a "handout to the wealthy."

The multi-trillion-dollar federal rescue for businesses clobbered by the coronavirus included billions for airlines grounded by travel restrictions and safety concerns -- and, according to one report, more than half a billion dollars for boutique aviation firms that deliver private jet travel to the super-rich.

"This was...