12 April 2005 - It’s a frustrating year for the Square Mile’s Royal Ascot race-goers: not only has the event moved temporarily up to York, but virtually all hotel accommodation there has already gone, and London’s ‘Royal Ascot in the City’ event has been cancelled. However, all is not lost for this staple of City entertaining: leading charter operator London Executive Aviation has already taken a number of bookings from City institutions who are determined not to let a few logistical challenges stand in their way.

“Chartering a plane can be very viable, especially if you’re taking a larger group”, says London Executive Aviation’s chief executive Patrick Margetson-Rushmore. “You can take eight people from London to York and back for under £200 each.”

The company can whisk passengers from London to York in 45 minutes, serving them champagne and strawberries en route and touching down only a short distance from the racecourse. After enjoying the day’s racing, pageantry and fashion, passengers can be home again in time for dinner.

“Royal Ascot is the City’s favourite race day and terrific for client entertaining”, says Margetson-Rushmore. “There’s nothing to match it for a sense of occasion, although arriving in your own aircraft does add something to the experience.”

He adds that confidence levels in the City are clearly bearing up: “This is shaping up to be one of the year’s most popular UK bookings. If it carries on like this we’ll have to rebrand ourselves the Ascot Express.”

For further information:

Marc Cornelius
80:20 PR
Tel: +44 870 766 7630
mcornelius@8020pr.com

Notes to Editors
Royal Ascot at York takes place between Tuesday 14th and Saturday 18th June 2005.

Costs for a day return flight with London Executive Aviation between London and York’s Rufforth or Church Fenton airfields compare as follows:
· King Air turboprop: from £1,536 (with maximum eight passengers = £192 per person); 45 minute journey.
· Citation II jet: from £2,700 (with maximum seven passengers = £386 per person); 40 minute journey.
· Citation Excel jet: from £4,200 (with maximum nine passengers = £466 per person); 40 minute journey.

London Executive Aviation (LEA) is one of the UK’s leading executive jet charter operators and management companies. It operates the largest diverse fleet of executive aircraft in the UK and the largest fleet of Citation Excels, Europe’s top new mid size corporate jet. LEA is the only executive aviation company with a full base at London City airport. Its clients include investment banks and other financial institutions, large and mid-size businesses, leading air brokers and celebrities from music, entertainment and sport.

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