Stranded Travellers Turn To Private Jets In Egyptian Travel Chaos

Online, February 1, 2011 (Newswire.com) - With travel networks in chaos due to the political demonstrations in Egypt, airline flights in and out of the country's airports have been severely affected. Newly-imposed curfews are causing havoc with airline schedules and many flights have been cancelled, with both business and leisure passengers left stranded. Online private jet booking platform PrivateFly.com has seen a surge in enquiries from passengers looking to get in or out of the country.

Adam Twidell, CEO and co-founder of PrivateFly.com, comments: "Enquiries are coming in for very short notice travel. Private jets are still subject to the same curfews as airlines, but are highly flexible and can change schedules and itineraries quickly and easily to fit passenger needs. Obviously it's a worrying situation and the private aviation industry as a whole is working hard to help both stranded holidaymakers and business people.

"We have been able to operate a 'shuttle' service for some passengers to get them out of Cairo, Alexandria or Suez into nearby Cyprus and Beirut - from where they can transfer to an airline flight. Equally many international businesses and organisations are looking to get essential people into Egypt to deal with the crisis."

PrivateFly has launched a new website page giving regular updates on empty leg or shuttle private jet flights in or out of Egyptian airports. Prices for Cairo to Cyprus one-way in a 4-seater Citation Mustang jet start from $500 per seat, ranging to £27,000 (£3,375 per person) for 8 passengers from Cairo to London.

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Notes to editors:

PrivateFly's webpage for flights in or out of Egypt: http://www.privatefly.com/privatejet-services/private-jet-flights-from-egypt.htm

About PrivateFly:

PrivateFly is an online booking network that makes it quicker, easier and more cost effective to arrange private jet charter.

With over 2700 operators registered worldwide, PrivateFly is the only online aggregator for private jet charter in Europe.

PrivateFly combines online efficiency and transparency with offline expertise to offer a full-service VIP charter service to direct customers and partners. The bespoke software has been created in-house specifically to meet the needs of charter customers and operators.

In February 2010 PrivateFly launched the world's first iPhone application to provide instant private jet pricing on a mobile phone.

PrivateFly was recently announced as one of the Smarta 100 companies 2010, by a judging panel including Dragon's Den's Deborah Meaden and other leading entrepreneurs, such as Bebo founder Michael Birch. The company also won the innovation category of the Best Business Awards in February 2010.

Founded in 2007, PrivateFly is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire and in 2010 secured first round investment funding to expand the business within the UK and selected international markets.

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