High Demand for Private Jets as Wealthy Flee Japan

March 16th, 2011

Via: Reuters:

Thousands of people desperate to escape Japan’s deepening nuclear crisis have inundated private jet companies with requests for evacuation flights, sending prices surging as much as a quarter.

Some multinational companies are pulling international staff out of Tokyo and surrounding areas after low-level radiation reached the metropolis on Tuesday.

Workers are fleeing for Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and as far afield as Australia and the United States as power outages and shortages of basic supplies compound the misery after Friday’s 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

“I got a request yesterday to fly 14 people from Tokyo to Hong Kong, 5 hour 5 minutes trip. They did not care about price. The charge inflated by 26 percent to more than $160,000,” said Jackie Wu, COO of Hong Kong Jet, a newly established private jet subsidiary of China’s HNA Group.

“Yesterday, a charter plane from Tokyo to Australia one way, was quoted at $265,000, up 20 percent,” Wu added.

Shortages of jet fuel and airport closures were complicating matters in Japan.

Mike Walsh, the CEO of private jet and charter company Asia Jet, said they had run three evacuation flights to Hong Kong from Tokyo by early Wednesday.

“It is now ramping up over last night because of the deteriorating situation. More people are worrying and looking to evacuate from Tokyo,” Walsh told Reuters. “We are dealing with over 1,000 people wanting to evacuate from Tokyo this morning.”

Related: Foreign Bankers Flee Tokyo as Nuclear Crisis Deepens

Posted in Collapse, Economy, Environment, Health | Top Of Page

One Response to “High Demand for Private Jets as Wealthy Flee Japan”

  1. Eileen says:
    March 17, 2011 at 4:45 am

    This is nice (pun totally intended). So what happens to the people who can’t afford a flight out of town? What’s going to happen to all them po’ folk, hmmm?
    “the world is in a state of shock.” Shock. I know I have been in this state for along time. There may very well be a melt down in Japan. I don’t know. But I can tell you this, if there is a meltdown, there will be people who survive, and will do so with the grace and glory of – well I don’t know who yet. the Japanese have been pounded with nukes before, and have survived. They are incredible people. Godess bless all.
    I wish I knew how to write or say in Japanese, May your journey ahead be more than you could have ever hoped for

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