-Online private jet network bags two business innovation awards-
Online private jet platform, PrivateFly.com, continues to go from strength to strength after winning two
business awards last month. The award wins come at an important time for the business, as it seeks investment
to expand within Europe and international markets.
The awards are Smarta's Top 100 small businesses for 2010, and the Best Business Awards, in which PrivateFly
was announced as winner of the 'Best Innovation' category. Each of the awards recognise the company's
innovative approach to the private jet booking process.
The Smarta 100 recognises the UK's smartest small businesses that have gone the extra mile to differentiate
themselves from others in their market or found clever ways to compete. PrivateFly.com was chosen
as a winner of the inaugural 'Smarta 100' by a judging panel including Dragon's Den's Deborah Meaden
and other leading entrepreneurs, such as Bebo founder Michael Birch. The judges commented:
"PrivateFly looks set to change the way the industry operates. It gives consumers much better deals and
more transparency. It also simplifies the technical issues that are involved in scheduling private jets."
The Best Business Awards attract entries from across all sectors, from large international PLCs and public
sector organisations, to dynamic and innovative SMEs. PrivateFly.com was the only travel company to win
across all categories. Commenting on the win, chairman of the judges Andrew Areoff said:
"The way the founders of PrivateFly have identified and exploited the niche market for private jet charter
is admirable. This well thought through and executed proposition should establish itself as the market-leading
brand in the sector as it continues to grow and develop and as customer budget restrictions ease as we
move out of recessionary times."
Carol Cork, PrivateFly's sales & marketing director, added: "We were especially pleased that both of these awards recognise the team's innovation, as this is the cornerstone of our business strategy.
"As PrivateFly continues to evolve, we are looking at new ways of streamlining the process of booking a private jet - such as our recent iPhone application which provides private jet pricing to a mobile phone. Customer choice and transparency have been transformed by the internet in nearly all other markets, PrivateFly aims to bring the same online efficiency to private jets."
-Ends-
Notes to editors:
About PrivateFly:
PrivateFly is an online booking network that makes it quicker,
easier and more cost effective to arrange private jet charter.
With over 2700 operators registered worldwide,
PrivateFly is the only online aggregator for Private Jet charter in Europe.
PrivateFly combines online efficiency and transparency with offline expertise to offer a full-service
VIP charter service to direct customers and partners. The bespoke software has been created in-house
specifically to meet the needs of charter customers and operators .
In February 2010 PrivateFly launched the world's first iPhone application to provide instant private jet pricing on a mobile phone.
Founded in 2007, PrivateFly is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire. The company is currently seeking investment
from investment professionals, high net worth individuals and sophisticated investors,
to expand within Europe and selected international markets. PrivateFly has engaged Corporate Finance Advisors,
IDJ Limited, to run the fundraising process, and the business has pre-qualified for the taxation benefits
offered by the Enterprise Investment Scheme.
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