LEA begins “Air Taxi” service

London Executive Aviation (LEA) today announced the delivery of four Mustang Very Light Jets (VLJs) which it says will cut the price of private jet chartering by up to 30 per cent. LEA is the first private jet charter operator in the UK to include VLJs in its offering, and will add a further five Mustangs to its fleet in early 2009. The operator says it will base the four aircraft at Luton, Stansted, Biggin Hill and Farnborough, to ensure “coverage of the four ‘corners’ of London”. The Cessna Citation Mustang can take up to four passengers, and has a range of up to 1,300 miles enabling it to fly non-stop from the UK to destinations such as Italy and Poland (with four passengers onboard), or southern Spain and Russia (with two passengers). Says George Galanopoulos, managing director of LEA: “Flight times for typical journeys are identical to larger aircraft, so why pay extra for a bigger jet if half the seats are empty, or use a plane with less efficient engines?  For most European trips, the Mustang really is the right tool for the job, and it’s a very attractive alternative to clogged and congested airports.” For an indepth look at the VLJ market, see our report in the April 2008 edition of Business Traveller. For more information visit flylea.com. Report by Mark Caswell