Transfer deadline day, "the twice-yearly footballing ritual when players fly around Europe in search of multimillion-pound deals, is sparking a bonanza for private jet companies," according to Hugo Greenhalgh of the FINANCIAL TIMES. With the winter transfer window set to close at the end of Tuesday and football fans "braced for the usual last-minute deals," private jet bookings are up between 20% and 50% year-on-year. There are about 200 private jets in the U.K., according to Luxaviation, a charter company, of which approximately 70 are available for use by the 20 clubs in the Premier League if they need to fly in a player for a "hasty medical and signature on a contract." Demand begins to "rise sharply" in the three or four days before the window closes. Luxaviation expects its entire fleet of 26 jets to be booked in the run-up to the 11pm deadline and is reporting a 25% increase in business compared with usual January bookings, as well as a 20% rise compared with last year's winter transfer "frenzy." Bookings in Manchester -- home to two of the country's richest clubs -- are up 50% compared with the usual level for the time of year. In London, which has "a number of Premier League clubs," requests are up 15% from the 75 charters the week before and almost 30% compared with the same time last year. Charter company Victor Founder & CEO Clive Jackson said, "[We have] seen noticeable flight request spikes this week in and around those U.K. cities hosting Premiership football clubs." Flight costs "vary enormously but are well within the reach of the top clubs." A trip on a nine-passenger Cessna Citation Excel from Luton to Madrid costs £10,500 ($13,200), according to Luxaviation. For players heading back from Africa, a Dassault Falcon 2000LXS from Gabon to Luton could set the club back £62,500 ($78,700) (FT, 1/31).
