The chartering of private aircraft reduces executive stress, says Jamie Martin, director corporate development, Hunt&Palmer, a UK private aviation broker. He was commenting on a survey by occupational psychologists Robertson Cooper and consulting firm IG Management. This found that productivity levels of frequent flyers was seriously diminished due to lack of freedom to travel at convenient times, transit through airports and a poor work-life balance.

Such stresses were found to be having a significant financial impact, with one frequent traveller estimated to cost the company £13,500 a year in loss of productivity alone.

The survey says that, when multiplied by 200, the average number of frequent flyers in a corporation, an "astounding" figure of £2.5m is reached. This does not take into account related sick days.

Martin says: "Chartering has very real commercial benefits, particularly when you take into consideration the economic impact of regular travel on the workforce."

Private charter, he says, is cost-effective as well as more relaxing.