Fly Like You Own It...Pay Like You Don't - that is the tagline for an innovative new private jet service launched by C Travel.

The Hamilton-based travel agency is offering the unique service, called Private Jets, which allows passengers to travel on a private jet for a fraction of the cost of hiring it.

And the new service has really taken off according to chief financial officer Lois Wilson, who runs the business.

She first came up with the idea as a way offering a commercial flight on a private jet with all the private jet services, but at a reasonable price.

"I wanted to bring it to a point where people could buy a seat on the charter flight and it is, of course, much more affordable," she said.

One of the beauties of flying by private jet is the ease of catching the flight and the reduction in waiting time compared to a standard commercial flight, said Ms Wilson.

"There is such a long period of time when you arrive at the airport and before you leave on a normal charter flight," she said.

"You have to arrive at the airport at least two hours before and then by the time you have done everything at the other end such as going through customs and collecting your baggage, it is another one hour to two hours before you get out of the airport.

"Being in airports a long time can be a very stressful experience, especially going through the US airports and security at the moment, which can take lot out of you, and our services eliminate a lot of that."

She saw an opportunity in the market to offer the new service on empty return flights on private jets.

"We do a certain amount of chartering of private jets and what that actually generates is an empty leg on the way back and that is what we are using to offer this new service for," she said.

"If, for example, a jet goes to New York and comes back with an empty leg, then we might as well put it to good use and that is what we are doing - we are offering tickets on a per seat basis to spread the cost of hiring the jet.

"People may want to come back from somewhere and they say, 'I'll pay to get back quickly, so I'll take the private jet'."

As an example of pricing a one-way trip between Bermuda and New York can cost as little as $2,200 per person.

Ms Wilson said there are a number of other advantages to using the private jet service.

"Another nice thing about the private jets is that you can go exactly where you want to," she said.

"Similarly, if you are held up in a meeting, the private jets can wait for you, within reason."

And she believes the new service, which has only been up and running for two months, could be set to really go places in the near future.

"It is developing nicely so far - it is something that we have been doing for a little while from a charter basis, but this concept of selling on a per seat basis is quite new," she said.

"There are a variety of different people who use the jets now from business people to regular customer.

"Some people may just want to get from A to B quickly, or just to travel in comfort."

The Private Jets service operates three types of airplane including a large Challenger 600, complete with VIP seating for up to 14 passengers and executive restroom, a mid-size Hawker 800, which is described as a "conference room in the sky" and can fly non-stop from Los Angeles to New York, Chicago to San Juan and Madrid to Moscow, and a light Lear Jet 35, which has the redeeming feature of being fast and efficient, able to carry eight passengers distances of up to 2,220 miles.

Round trips are already running from Bermuda to Monte Carlo, Grand Cayman and Baden Baden in Germany and back, as well as one-way flights from Bermuda to New York and vice versa.

In addition, the service offers a concierge facility, covering every detail of the trip from ground transportation, such as taxis and coach pick-ups, and hotel bookings, right down to flight tracking and even weather updates.

"It really offers an end-to-end experience, including booking at high-end hotels, arranging early check-ins, champagne in the room on arrival and other complimentary services," said Ms. Wilson.

"We offer people a 24/7 service, so if they are stuck, or there is a problem they can send an email, or text or call.

"In fact, we have got quite a number of products that all dovetail nicely into each other and we have a good group of people who are not only very experienced in the travel service, but also offer a great level of customer service and I am quite pleased and proud of how everything has developed so far."

There are also plans afoot to develop a dedicated website for bookings, reservations and even the purchase of gift certificates, said Ms Wilson.

"It is the summer months which are always typically a slower time for corporate travel, but this time we have found it very busy," she said.

"I felt there was a market out there which would may not be typical businessmen and we have seen that already with likes of people who are coming through because we are trying to make the service, above all, affordable."

To book a seat on a private jet or for further information call 299 8711, email privatejets@ ctravel.bm or visit their website at www.jets.bm