No longer just for celebs, hop on a private jet for 550 euros

Once the preserve of the ultra-rich and celebrities, a flight on a private jet is now available for as little as 550 euros an hour, with technology and competition helping to bring down sky-high prices. A growing number of firms offering such flights have emerged in recent years, some employing online facilities to match global demand, thereby improving fleet efficiency and contributing to cheaper flights. Adam Twidell, chief executive and founder of PrivateFly, said there are more than 500 operators and over 2,500 individual aircraft in the European charter market alone, yet ‘over 30pc of flights are flying empty, repositioning for their next charter’. His company has been seeking to reduce these empty flights by going online to match demand. Beyond the usual service of offering chartered jet flights, PrivateFly lists on its website what is known as ‘empty legs’ – a trip from a certain destination at a fixed date, but at a price that can be as much as 75 per cent lower than regular rates. The price listed for a ‘empty leg’ flight on a 7-seater from Bristol to Cannes is 3,630 pounds, less than half the regular price of 8,730 euros, according to the website. In one single app booking last year, a client booked an itinerary worth $500,000 in Europe, which Twidell said demonstrated clients are comfortable using technology that provides them benefits, according to AFP.