Blair Force One: Millionaire former Prime Minister is travelling the world in plush 7,000-an-hour private jet
When he was Prime Minister, plans for a presidential-style ‘Blair Force One’ jet were rejected as too expensive.
But now Tony Blair appears to be footing the bill for his own 30million private plane.
The former Prime Minister has been seen stepping out of a 7,000-an-hour bespoke aircraft complete with stateroom, lounge, kitchen and bed.
Mr Blair, 60, is reported to have regularly chartered the top-of-the-range Bombardier Global Express private jet as he travels the world in his new roles as business consultant and public speaker, according to The Sunday Telegraph.
The former Labour leader has been seen disembarking in Bangkok, Sardinia and New York state, and it has also been seen in Switzerland, Ukraine and Israel on dates which matched Mr Blair’s visits.
The 19-seater plane has a distinctive black-and-gold livery and luxurious interior, including leather seats and walnut panelling.
Industry insiders said the Global Express costs an estimated 7,000 for every hour it is in the air. It can fly for 13 hours non-stop and has a range of about 7,000 miles.
The Bombardier website says: ‘It is the most luxurious, most accomplished business aircraft ever built, accommodating the desires of the most sophisticated and demanding traveller with no compromises.’
Mr Blair was photographed leaving the Global Express jet in Sardinia in the Mediterranean on August 25.
A day later, he and the plane were spotted in the Adirondacks in upstate New York 4,300 miles away – an eight-hour flight which would have cost about 60,000.
On September 2, he gave a speech in Bangkok, and a plane-spotting forum noted the Global Express was seen at the Thai capital’s international airport on September 1 and 3. A plane-spotter observed: ‘The Globex transported God’s self-appointed representative on earth, HRH Tony Bliar, correction Blair.’ A journey from London to Bangkok would cost an estimated 90,000.
Mr Blair has previously attracted criticism for flying in planes lent to him by tyrants. These include the former Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and Rwanda’s autocratic President Paul Kagame, who despite being leader of one of the poorest countries in the world, has two 30miilion Bombardier aircraft.
When he was in Downing Street, Mr Blair’s administration considered plans for a prime ministerial jet dubbed Blair Force One – in homage to the US president’s Air Force One – but the scheme was abandoned as too expensive.
He has amassed an estimated 50million fortune since leaving office in 2007 through lucrative business consultancy work, lecture tours and as an adviser to governments in South America.
His role as the West’s peace envoy in the Middle East is unpaid.
The plane Mr Blair has been using was built in 2006, registered with the Civil Aviation Authority in 2008, and its owner is listed as Aravco Ltd, a firm based at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire.
The company refused to comment.
A spokesman for Mr Blair said: ‘Taxpayers do not foot any part of the bill.’
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