This Christmas, give your loved one an airplane

(Morgan Lane Photography)

A private jet company has introduced the gift card for that person who has everything this holiday season -- but it will set you back at least $42,000 (€29,382).

A private jet company has introduced the gift card for that person who has everything this holiday season - but it will set you back at least $42,000 (€29,382).

The new card, offered by private aviation group InJet, offers ten hours of flying in one of the firm's 25 planes. It is available in three figures for flexibility, costing $42,000 for a light aircraft, $54,500 (€38,127) for a midsize jet and $81,000 (€56,667) for a heavy jet, which can accommodate up to 14 passengers. The company claims it is the perfect holiday gift this season "without a large capital outlay."

"This makes for an exciting gift, especially for the on-the-go executive who is looking for a travel alternative," said InJet's Chief Operating Officer Suran Wijayawardana.

Recently, private aviation companies such as InJet, NetJets and Flexjet have been forced to look for ways to broaden their appeal during the economic downturn. Whilst the card will not suit everyone's budget, it is a substantially reduced outlay compared to traditional aircraft "fractional ownership" models that boomed over the past ten years until the credit crunch hit.

According to the UK's Civil Aviation Authority, the use of executive jets declined over 20 percent from the final quarter of 2008 compared to the final quarter of 2007. Until the recession hit, the CAA estimated that use of private jets had been growing steadily at 14 percent a year for four years.

Website: http://www.injet.com/
Website: http://www.netjets.com/
Website: http://www.flexjet.com/