Private jet travel rebounds as rich splash out for privacy

[Roland99]

Source: CNN

...

The number of business flights -- which includes celebrity, state and business hire -- grew 5.5 per cent last year, in both European and US airspace, according to figures from Eurocontrol, the air traffic management co-ordinator, and Argos International, an aviation market research company.

While private take-offs have not yet returned to 2007 levels, a 9 per cent surge in Europe so far this year -- compared with January in 2010 -- suggests luxury flying is coming back into fashion.

Trips on private jets took off in the pre-crunch years, as executives and self-made millionaires were swayed by flexible schedules, lack of baggage and security restrictions, and departure lounges uncluttered by economy-class travellers.

...

A quarter of all the increase in business flights in Europe -- or 10 per cent of all jet travel -- was to Russia, Ukraine or Turkey last year, though the most popular airports remain Le Bourget in Paris, Geneva, Nice, London Luton and Milan Linate.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/BUSINESS/02/20/private.jets.boom.ft/index.html?hpt=Sbin

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Must be nice.

[Marblehead]

1. isn't that special..

:puke:

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Smirk." - FatCat RepubliCronies

"Why don't you proles just eat shit and die. Oh, by the way, we need MORE MORE MORE tax cuts for the rich republicons. Bwaaa ha ha ha ha. Smirk."

- FatCat RepubliCronies

[Carolina]

12. now that is precious

the only thing in this thread worth smiling about! :hi:

[midnight]

3. Private jets, private roads, private communities, and we pay the tab....

The elite have such a sense of entitlement!

[Historic NY]

4. Big ass tax deductions for travel expenses.

[fasttense]

5. They can run (or fly) but they can not hide.

With most of world's nations either in the middle of labor protests and unrest or on the verge, those little spoiled brats from the lucky sperm club have better keep going because they are uniformly hated by most normal people.

[customerserviceguy]

6. It's no surprise to me

The quality of commercial airline service has declined rapidly over the last thirty years.

If over three decades, the level of all the restaurants in your town had sunk to fast food standards, wouldn't you think that someone would try to exploit the market for those wishing to dine in style again?

[KurtNYC]

9. One theory is this increase is due to the body scans -- Private jets avoid

that. A car takes you from the office to the tarmac, you get on the leased plane and fly. No nude x-rays.

[Ken_Fish]

7. Hopefully the Mechanics who perform maint.

on these aircraft are getting a boost as well.

[gratuitous]

8. I think the wealthy have suffered enough

It's time to return to the days of conspicuous consumption. Can you imagine how nerve-wracking it must have been to contemplate the unholy spectre of having to pay an extra three cents in taxes on every dollar "earned" over $250,000? These brave dears need, need I tell you! the release of some good old-fashioned robber barony.

[plumbob]

10. Gosh, makes you wonder what the poor people are doing tonight?

Doesn't it?

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

11. when you fly them full private aircraft are extremely economical

When you charter a private jet you don't pay by the passenger, you pay by the hour. Fly the plane full and the savings over the same number of airfares can be significant. Avoiding the Freedom Fingerbang and other unconstitutional harassment by the TSA is just a bonus.