The UK government is to acquire two aircraft for the use of the country’s prime minister, government ministers and Royal Family. The decision follows the publication of a government-commissioned study into the costs of ministerial travel which concluded it would be cost-effective to acquire two used aircraft. One is likely to be a 70-seat airliner, the other a 15-seat business jet, the government says. The aircraft are likely to be taken on a long-term lease, and are not expected to come into service until late 2007 at the earliest. Formal approval is expected by the end of the month.
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There is unconfirmed speculation that the UK would acquire a long-range airliner, such as an Airbus A330/A340 or Boeing 777, rather than the A319-based Airbus Corporate Jetliner or 737-based Boeing Business Jet favoured by other European heads of state. For long-haul trips the prime minister leases a 777-200 from UK carrier British Airways. The government and the Royal Family also have access to a British Aerospace 146 operated by the Royal Air Force.
Source: Flight International
