Featured Press Article
Were all joining the luxury jet set - The Observer - 17 Apr 2005
Private jets, limo transfers, luxury villas and personal butlers have long been associated with the celebrity lifestyle, but increasing numbers of 'everyday folk' are splashing their cash on luxury trappings for the trip of a lifetime.
'Partly because they see celebrities using them and partly because they are more readily available, more people are aware of luxury services and want them too', says a spokeswoman for Kuoni. The tour operator launched private-jet flights last summer in response to increasing numbers of 'cashrich, time poor' clients wanting short breaks in exotic destinations such as Morocco or Egypt.
'We get many groups of friends hiring a Lear Jet for a holiday, whether it's fishing on a remote Scottish island, travelling to a
football match or skiing', says Andrew Loyd, managing director of Loyd & Townsend-Rose, a company that arranges luxury castle
and private-jet hire. 'If you split it the cost isn't outrageous.
You could fly to Zurich for £8,000, which between 10 people is reasonable.'
Loyd believes people are busier and think saving a couple of hours by flying to smaller airports closer to their destinations is worth the cash.
Paying for a better service is now within more people's reach, and many are fed up with being herded around on package tours, says Paul
Stanyer of Holiday Taxis which, since it set up three years ago, has had to extend its service to include limo and helicopter transfers
due to a 'staggering' demand. 'It's an appalling start to a holiday, being stuck on a bus with 50 people then calling at 10 hotels
before you reach your own. Now, with the advent of low-cost airlines, people realise that they don't have to do that. They can
take private transfer.'
A limo transfer from Malaga airport to Puerto Banus for seven people costs from £150 and an E-Class Mercedes for four from Cyprus's Paphos
airport to the town centre works out at just £15 per person, the same price many tour operators charge for a coach transfer.
In short, luxuries have become more affordable so the excesses that were once the province of the rich are now available to more of us.
'There is lots of money around these days and luxuries have dropped in price, so more of them become accepted as the norm', says Loyd. 'First travelling first class, then hiring a huge suite, and now flying private jets.'
