PrivateFly.com is flying high in Hertfordshire

St Albans based private jet booking company, PrivateFly.com, has won Website Of The Year at the Hertfordshire Business Awards 2011.

The awards, which recognise business success by companies based across Hertfordshire, took place on Thursday 24th November at Knebworth and were presented by TV personality Paul Ross.

PrivateFly.com beat a shortlist of other finalists to win Website of The Year, with the judges looking for evidence of successful online business growth and strategy. The judges commented that PrivateFly is "a fantastic website", "offers a wonderful experience for the visitor" and "the site is informative with easy access to information needed".

The company, which provides online search and pricing functionality for worldwide private jet charter, operates from its head office in St Albans, with its team of 15 staff led by co-founders Adam Twidell and Carol Cork. The husband and wife team, who also live in St Albans, launched the business in 2008 after Twidell, who spent 10 years in the RAF and was subsequently a private jet pilot, saw the opportunity to transform the private jet charter industry through online technology.

The couple have overseen considerable business growth since launch, with initial capital raised by selling their St Albans house. In September 2011, PrivateFly announced successful investment fundraising of £2 million, which will enable international expansion and further development of the technology which drives the company's web and mobile application platforms.

Carol Cork, marketing director and co-founder, comments: "We are thrilled to be recognised amongst Hertfordshire's business elite. This region has a dynamic and diverse business community and our St Albans location has played a key role in our business success so far. It offers easy reach to key business relationships in London; is close to private jet airports such as Luton and London City; and has allowed us to recruit a high quality team. Following our recent investment fundraising, we are looking forward to expanding the business further from our St Albans headquarters."

-Ends-