Time flies when you’re away on business

UAE tycoons take private jets far more than European peers, a study by Private Jet Charter, one of the world’s largest independent consultants reveals.

DUBAI // No check-in, no unsettled children, no jostling for the arm-rest … no wonder UAE businessmen spend so much time on chartered jets.

A study shows the average number of hours UAE businessmen spend on private jets is 100 to 150 a year, more than the 50 to 100 hours for their UK and European peers.

But the research by Private Jet Charter, one of the world’s largest independent consultants, shows the UAE lags behind some regional countries, such as Saudi Arabia.

Saudi businessmen travel 150 to 200 hours a year, says Hugh Courtenay, chief executive of PJC.

“The availability of commercial options on domestic routes is limited, so the private jet option is the most practical solution,” Mr Courtenay said.

He said Arabian Gulf businessmen consider chartering jets more economical than buying.

PJC says flying 300 hours or more a year would justify buying a jet.

The cost of chartering a Gulfstream 550, jet of choice for actor Tom Cruise, is Dh31,734 an hour.