"It is a
luxury jet equipped with its own presidential area and is billed by its
owners as The Head of State. And for a total of four days, it is the
preferred mode of transport for Prince Charles on his tour of the United
States.
Prince
Charles chartered the specially converted Airbus A320-232 from
Masterjet based in Paris. Unlike a normal passenger jet, which can carry
in the region of 180 passengers, this aircraft only has space for 26.
Although,
for the VIPs on board they have luxury clubman style recliner seats,
while there is even a large double bed and shower room in the
presidential area.
The jet even comes equipped with a Nespresso coffee machine as well as WIFI and satellite phones. MailOnline
estimates that the aircraft would cost in the region of £250,000 to
charter for four days on a trans-Atlantic trip. A spokesman for Clarence
House declined to reveal the cost of the trip when contacted....
The Head of
State aircraft, meanwhile, was chartered from Masterjet in Paris and is
normally based in Le Bourget Airport. It flew on Tuesday to RAF Brize
Norton before travelling to Andrews Airforce Base in Maryland.
The
2003 jet started its life working for US low-cost carrier JetBlue
before it was purchased by Masterjet and completely refurbished.
According to Masterjet, the aircraft has 'a brand new interior with unique 26 passengers VIP configuration'.
There is also a bedroom, private office, bathroom and shower in the 'presidential area'. Passengers
on board the luxury jet can avail themselves of WIFI access within the
cabin and a 10-channel TV system with some 200 movies on demand.
There
are also two 42 inch wall mounted screens, and five smaller 21 inch
screens. There are eight, 10 inch screens in the armrests of the first
class cabin.
According
to Masterjet's website, a flight from London to Maryland next Tuesday
and returning next Friday on an Airbus 320 corporate jet with 26
passengers would cost £205,187. The amount when VAT at 20 per cent is
added rises to £246,224.
In April 2011, when the Prince last
visited the U.S, he opted to use a private jet owned by Texan financier
Joe Allbritton to meet with President Barack Obama and give an address
to an agriculture conference.
In March
2007, he used the Royal Flight to travel to Scotland instead of using a
more environmentally friendly alternative. He flew on the HS125 from RAF
Lyneham, near his Highgrove Estate to the Queen Mother's former country
house near Balmoral.
At
the time, environmentalists estimated that the carbon footprint for the
500-mile trip was more than 15,000kg per passenger - compared to a mere
60kg for travelling by train.
In
2008 he spent almost £700,000 on a tour of the Far East, while in March
2009 he spent a further £698,890 on a trip to South America.
Although
in December 2013, Prince Charles spent £246,160 on a private jet for
the state funeral of Nelson Mandela in South Africa. A trip to India and Sri Lanka cost a further £350,000 while a five-day tour of the Middle East cost a further £228,426.
A
spokesman for Clarence House said: 'The Prince of Wales and The Duchess
of Cornwall are on an official visit to the USA on behalf of the British government.
.
'Details about travel costs will be disclosed in the usual manner later this year in the Sovereign Grant accounts.'
Sir
Peter Westmacott, British Ambassador to Washington said: 'I am so
pleased to welcome The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall back
to the United States, ten years after their first official visit
together.
Images: Top, bedroom on jet carrying Charles and Camilla to US, Masterjet. Second image via AP.
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