Elite Scramble for Private Jet Luxury

While the global elite's Great Reset has made air travel even once or twice a year a thing of the past for most of us peasants, a different sort of aviation crisis is hitting the super rich - they just can't buy enough private jets quickly enough.

A record-breaking surge in private jet use by the super-rich has fuelled the shortage in planes as operators struggle to cope with demand. 

So far this year, more than 4.3 million private jet flights have taken place, according to the aviation data provider Wingx.

In the first week of November alone they were up 54 per cent on the same period last year and up 16 per cent on 2019.

The extraordinary demand is driven by a combination of the collapse in numbers and reliability of commercial flights — with pared- down timetables and constantly changing flight times — and the extraordinary boom in wealth of the world’s richest people, few of whom blink before snapping up a £45 million Gulfstream.

If only they could. Because the average waiting time now for a brand new jet is well over a year.

Regardless of whether you’re after the ever-popular Bombardier BD 700 Global Express that can accommodate 12-16 passengers and is favoured by Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates and Celine Dion. Or even the super long-range BBJ 777X that seats 75 guests and will set you back over £300 million.

Oh, how frustrating! The whole process will take even longer if, like Taylor and Oprah, you’re keen to splash a bit more cash to customise your plane inside and out.

After all, what could be nicer than creating a cosy home from home with feather beds, Italian marble bathroom, gym, priceless artworks, ornate fireplace complete with fake fire and even a hand-stitched leather roulette table to perk up all those dreary flying hours?

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