Dalton McGuinty is under fire after reports surfaced that show he has used approximately $1 million worth of government plane services since taking office.

Opposition parties say the premier's use of the planes is not responsible. Conservative critic Tim Hudak accused the premier of traveling with an entourage the size of a Hollywood celebrity.

"I mean, this guy's gotten so Hollywood he makes Paris Hilton look grounded," Hudak said.

On some occasions McGuinty took the plane to cities as close as Hamilton and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Both cities are less than two hours driving distance form Toronto.

The premier however refuses to apologize for the trips on the private planes. He says that he uses cars and commercial airlines when his schedule permits but often it does not.

"Sometimes I drive to St. Catharines if time permits but sometimes time doesn't permit and I've got to get to places fast," McGuinty said.

Under fire in the legislature on Thursday, McGuinty said he flies to conduct business on behalf of Ontario taxpayers.

"When I get on an airplane, that's what I'm working on. It's their health care, their education, their economy, their infrastructure, their quality of life, their society Speaker," McGuinty said.

"That's what I'm doing on behalf of Ontarians."

The opposition was not impressed.

"The premier just left one thing out, Mr. Speaker and that is that you are flying on those airplanes paid for by their money," Conservative Opposition Leader John Tory said.

Another accusation being thrown at the premier is his authorization of empty flights 194 times. The planes flew without passengers for the equivalent of roughly four consecutive days.

During his term, McGuintly has authorized 426 separate flights that total 128 complete trips. At a cost of $2000 per hour, the flight time alone totals more than $600,000. Further costs racked up when the planes were on the ground, waiting to load and unload passengers.

The premier feels that Ontarians don't mind the expense because he is making essential trips.

"That's just the nature of the job and I would think that's what Ontarians expect me to do," he said.

Opposition critics say the solution would be to make the premier's plane travel expenses more accountable by posting them online within 30 days of any flight.

"The first thing it has to be is transparent," NDP MPP Gilles Bisson said. "If it's transparent I can tell you he ain't going to be flying to Hamilton because you can't justify that."

With a report from CTV's Paul Bliss and files from The Canadian Press