Bombardier has launched the Transatlantic Express, a fixed-price business jet charter service between Western Europe and North America. The service, which uses the ultra long-range Global Express, will operate between any city in Western Europe and the US Eastern coast for a fixed price.

It is scheduled to begin in summer 2004 and will be operated through Bombardier Flexjet Europe, headquartered in London.

A total of 10 Global Expresses will be deployed on the service, and each will fly 10 people at Mach 0.89, for a flat fee of 150,000 euros ($160,000).

“Following the Concorde’s retirement last year, we received an overwhelming demand to develop a superior solution to cross the Atlantic faster than today’s scheduled services,” said Judith Moreton, md Flexjet Europe.

“Our solution is the Transatlantic Express and is ideal because, unlike other transatlantic business jet travel programmes where customers must purchase an aircraft share, this service is offered ‘by the flight’ and is available to anyone. This is a straightforward, simple programme.”