Wales supporters charter private jets amid French ATC strikes
Wales football fans desperate to travel to Lyon to watch their country’s Euro 2016 semi-final match against Portugal last night chartered private jets after French air traffic control strikes caused chaos.
With no seats left on commercial flights from Cardiff to Lyon, UK-based private jet charter business Magnus Aviation dealt with an increase in enquiries in the run up to the game, which saw the Welsh side crash out in a 2-0 defeat.
In the 48 hours prior to the match, Magnus Aviation received 15 enquiries for quotes to charter private jets to Lyon.
Three jets carrying a total of 26 passengers were chartered, at an average cost of £1,700 per person.
Magnus Aviation head of commercial development James Armstrong said: "The current air traffic control strike in France led to many flights there being cancelled, and some Welsh fans wanting to go to the match were beginning to panic.
"It is no surprise that Welsh fans went to enormous lengths yesterday to support their team in their match against Portugal.
"Despite the disappointing result, we are pleased that fans were able to experience the excitement of the European Championship semi-final, despite significant travel disruption on the day – it is a great achievement for them to reach this stage of the tournament."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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