Privatefly.com Appoints Travel Business Development Specialist

Online, December 9, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Richard Smith has joined online private jet booking service, PrivateFly.com, in the new role of business development manager. This follows Alex Nott's appointment as website manager in July, and continues PrivateFly's UK team expansion - on the back of its successful first round investment funding earlier this year.

Smith brings over 10 years' travel industry experience including product management roles at lastminute.com and, most recently, as business development manager at Priority Travel Group. A core objective of his role at PrivateFly will be to accelerate the company's strategy of integrating private jet charter with the travel industry; focussing on partnerships in both the corporate and leisure sectors.

PrivateFly.com is a unique business model in the private jet industry, bringing the online search and price aggregation functionality already commonplace in other travel sectors to the traditionally 'offline' world of private jet travel. The company is also seeking a new chairman, following current chair David Scowsill's appointment as president & CEO of the WTTC. Scowsill will continue as Chairman until a replacement is found and will remain thereafter as an advisor to the board.

Carol Cork, co-founder and sales & marketing director of PrivateFly, commented: "Richard's appointment is an exciting step forward for our business development plans. He brings a wealth of contacts and experience from both business and leisure travel, and will play a key role in overseeing and growing our global partnerships with travel trade partners."
Richard Smith added: "I'm delighted to be joining PrivateFly at such an important time for the business. Private jet travel is often perceived by the travel industry as too complicated and lacking in online functionality, but PrivateFly is changing that, and I think 2011 will be an exciting year for the industry."

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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.

PrivateFly was recently announced as one of the Smarta 100 companies 2010, by a judging panel including Dragon's Den's Deborah Meaden and other leading entrepreneurs, such as Bebo founder Michael Birch. The company also won the innovation category of the Best Business Awards in February 2010.

Founded in 2007, PrivateFly is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire and earlier this year secured first round investment funding to expand the business within the UK and selected international markets.

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Publicite Ltd
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