For many families excited about a holiday getaway this summer, their journey on a budget airline is likely to be crammed, uncomfortable and quite possibly delayed.

But for those fortune enough to be extremely wealthy, they can enjoy an altogether different experience of ultra luxurious ‘air cruises’ costing up to £200,000 each.

High-end trips on so called ‘air cruises’ taking small groups around the world in private jets have been growing in popularity after the pandemic and are now offered by several operators.

Those boarding on of the aircraft can look forward to comforts such as Italian leather lie-flat seats, Mongolian cashmere blankets and Dom Perignon champagne.

Trips on these exclusive planes – described as a ‘five-star hotel on wings’ – also come with global inflight Wi-Fi and an army of top private chefs serving caviar.

Some operators run trips where guests can organise the itinerary in partnership with the firm – such as a 15-day whisky tour by private jet offered by Pelorus, for which prices start at £1.2million for six people, equating to £200,000 each. The tour visits Japan, the US, Scotland and Ireland and includes some of the world’s rarest tipples. 

Among the trips found by MailOnline was a 23-day tour run by Four Seasons visiting Asia, Africa and Europe for £155,000 per person based on double occupancy.

The tour in September and October next year will fly travellers from Seattle to Kyoto, then Hoi An, the Maldives, Serengeti, Marrakech, Budapest, Florence and Paris.

The firm uses a custom-fitted Airbus A321LRneo operated by Titan Airways, which has only 48 handcrafted seats that all offer 6.5ft (2m) of personal space and extend to lie fully flat, along with a plush ottoman.

Another option is a 17-day tour of South America with TCS World Travel on an Airbus A321 for £90,000 per person – taking travellers to sites including Machu Picchu and Easter Island, as well as Argentina and Colombia.

The ultra-wealthy could also look at a 26-day tour operated by Abercrombie and Kent which visits Fiji, Tasmania, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Zambia and Brazil for £131,000 per person – and is again limited to 48 guests.

Smithsonian Journeys also offer a 25-day round-the-world option on an Airbus A321 visiting South America, Oceania, Asia and Africa for £98,000 per person.

The jet is configured to accommodate 52 guests with all the custom-made leather flatbed seats able to recline fully flat.

Those on the tour can also visit Machu Picchu, with other destinations including Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, Jordan and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Travel expert Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said demand from premium leisure travellers for private jet flights in Europe is ‘relatively strong’ compared with before the pandemic, even though the actual number of private jet flights is lower than this time last year.

He told MailOnline: ‘In fact, France, Italy and the UK are the most popular European markets so far this year for flying privately.

‘Many operators are now using sustainable jet fuel to make their flights more environmentally-friendly, as well as adopting pilot techniques such as Continuous Descent Approach, when coming in to land, to use less fuel while in the air.

‘Flying by private jet is becoming a key part of many high-end travel itineraries, as some luxury trips are designed to use smaller airports which aren’t available to large, commercial airlines such as BA, American Airlines and others.’

He gave an example of the operator White Desert Antarctica, whose guests fly each summer season from Cape Town to a temporary blue ice airstrip, Wolf’s Fang Runway, in Antarctica and pay around £70,000 to do so for five days. 

They can also choose the one-day experience for £8,000 per person.

Mr Charles continued: ‘Travelling seamlessly and in style to the destination is part of the experience that high-end travellers want to pay for.

‘I don’t see demand disappearing in future – the trend is now set for premium leisure, as well as business, travellers to choose to fly by private jet, especially as newer aircraft and more sustainable fuel are coming into operation.

‘These high-end travellers want the privacy and space to fly in style, and arrive on schedule, especially at a time when delays are now baked in if you’re flying via scheduled, commercial airlines.’

Despite the high cost, demand for some tours can be so high that they are booked up one year ahead, with industry insiders saying customers are normally from the US and over 50 years old.

Others pointed out that even though the ‘air cruises’ are experiencing growth, the concept is not actually new – with industry leader TCS having been operating them since 1991 and offering 11 trips over the next year.

Christine Gray, editor-in-chief of Luxury Travel Magazine, told MailOnline: ‘Private jet expeditions around the world have been in existence since around 1990, allowing wealthy travellers to check multiple destinations and experiences off their bucket-lists in a single trip.

‘You board a luxurious aircraft with five-star service and fly direct to remote, exotic, and iconic places in the world. The insider access makes you feel like dignitaries flying around the world.

‘Imagine having all these amazing experiences in a single trip with all the travel arrangements made for you with absolutely no hassle. Just sit back, relax, and take it all in.’

Further experts said those wanting to take the trips can ‘expect ultimate luxury’ for a high price.

Nicky Kelvin, editor at The Points Guy, told MailOnline: ‘Travelling in excess is a trend which is definitely on the rise, as those looking for a holiday now want to enjoy themselves to the max, and believe that after a difficult few years, they deserve to splash out.

‘Private jet journeys and holidays in particular are on the rise; and whilst they come at a pretty penny, guests can travel in groups to some of the most famous destinations in the world, accompanied by staff which usually includes a tour manager and private chef for the.’

He said travellers often spend a few days in each destination, choosing from a list of excursions.

Mr Kelvin continued: ‘Those travelling on the planes can expect ultimate luxury. The Four Seasons Private Jet experience in particular has 48 lie-flat seats with 6.5ft of personal space, plus an ottoman for extra legroom or for a fellow traveller to come and join you for a bit of company.

‘On the planes there is an onboard lounge for a range of activities, including intimate workshops, educational demonstrations or culinary surprises by the Four Seasons craftspeople to help pass the time.

‘The one to six crew to passenger ratio means that no traveller will go without. Even the bathroom is luxury, with a full length mirror and luxury amenities.’

Amazon is considering forcing more ads on Prime Video users, despite customers already paying monthly fees for the steaming service.

The trillion-dollar company has reportedly been exploring options for new ‘ad tiers’ over the last couple of weeks, meaning members may have to sit through monotonous ads while watching TV shows or movies. 

This could look like making all Prime subscribers sit through ads and offering the option to ‘pay more’ for a commercial-free alternative. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, the platform has been looking to imitate its competitors, such as Netflix and Disney+, who have introduced cheaper memberships with ads. 

Amazon already has an ad-supported TV service available on Prime Video called Freevee, which is integrated on the Prime home screen, but the commercial content would extend to other areas of the platform. 

On top of that Prime – which features more than 20,000 movies and 2,000 television shows – also hosts content from other networks, some of which include commercials.

Sports fans will already be familiar with the in-talks commercial content, as Sports coverage on Prime is the only area of the platform which currently includes ads. 

Amazon has not officially confirmed the rumours, but industry insiders have said that Prime subscribers would have the option to pay extra for ad-free shows and films if plans do go ahead. The MailOnline has contacted Amazon for comment. 

Ross Benes, Insider Intelligence principle analyst, said: ‘In recent years, Prime Video has gotten more aggressive about running promos prior to its show and including ad-filled sports broadcasts.

‘Officially putting ads into Prime Video allows Amazon to centralise its audience and be more consistent with branding.’ 

The rumours have not been received well by Amazon users, and frustrated customers have taken to  social media to complain about the service. 

One Twitter user said: ‘Why am I paying for Amazon prime if when I put a film on they slap 300 metaverse adverts in it?’ 

Another claimed that the introduction of ads ‘would result in me cancelling.’ 

An Amazon Prime membership – which includes free shipping on the retail site – is currently priced at £8.99.

But Amazon Prime is not the only offender. A host of other major streaming services including Netflix and HBO Max now offer plans which include adverts.

Typically these services are cheaper without ads, as a Netflix subscription starts at £4.99 but can climb to £15.99 a commercial-free plan. 

A Disney+ plan also starts cheaper than the Amazon package at £7.99 per month.

It comes as streaming services grapple with financial losses across the board, as shares of Paramount Global fell six per cent in trading. 

Netflix has suffered a volatile few years, which has seen its stock plummet by as much as 47 per cent at times. 

In the last quarter of 2022, the streaming giant saw its subscription base grow by a paltry 4 percent from the same period a year earlier. 

The hinder in membership has been sparked by a crackdown on account sharing this year. 

According to Netflix’s rules, people who do not live in the same household cannot stream from the same account. 

While this was always a rule, the streaming platform is bringing in a new device verification feature which makes viewers prove where they are viewing from. 

The new feature is yet to be implemented in the US after a roll-out in Spain and Canada prompted a drop in subscriptions. 

Yet account sharing is expected to be banned in the next three months- although no official date has been given.  

Men are paying £50 for professional evaluations of their PENIS: Website judges various criteria from length to aesthetics and provides three-page assessment

• Website Eronite says they provide a ‘well-founded and honest evaluation’
• Participants must send in their ‘best’ pictures for analysis by a five-member jury

By Eleanor Dye

Published: 04:38 EDT, 23 June 2023 | Updated: 07:03 EDT, 23 June 2023

Republicans say they will STOP paying Trump’s legal fees for his election lawsuits if he runs for president in 2024

• RNC official says any announcement of a 2024 run would mean it would have to stop paying Donald Trump’s legal bills as he battles investigations
• The committee’s  ‘neutrality policy’ which bars it from taking sides in primaries
• The official told ABC News that payments would have to stop if Trump ran again
• It paid at least $1.73 million to law firms representing Trump during the past year

By Rob Crilly, Senior U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 15:58 EDT, 28 July 2022 | Updated: 15:58 EDT, 28 July 2022

I was conned into handing over hundreds of thousands of pounds for a dream Thailand apartment… that I still don’t own: Brit, 70, says ‘scammers’ have not handed over title deeds despite paying £346,000

• David Edward, 70, said he bought Koh Samui apartment in 2016 after a cold-call 
• At least five others were allegedly ‘scammed’ out of a total of £2.3 million

By Elena Salvoni

Published: 05:01 EDT, 2 June 2023 | Updated: 05:10 EDT, 2 June 2023

The number of Brits paying for private medical treatment has risen by more than a third since Covid began, figures show.

Roughly 199,000 people forked out for ops such as hip and knee replacements and cataract surgery in 2019.

But last year the figure stood at 272,000, a rise of 36.7 per cent. 

Record waits for routine NHS procedures have been blamed for the spiralling trend, with 7.33million now in the queue. 

The £150billion-a-year service is creaking at the seams, with it battered by a staffing exodus, Covid-induced backlogs and a series of devastating strikes over the winter.

Sommer Tebenham, from Hove, is just one who turned to private healthcare, taking out a £5,500 loan to fund a gallbladder op after being told she faced a wait of up to 12 months.

In a bid to combat the ever-growing waiting list, the NHS is expected to pay private companies to perform cancer checks.

Rishi Sunak will unveil the policy next month, it was claimed today. 

Patients will also be able to book NHS-funded procedures in private facilities using the app under separate plans set to be confirmed tomorrow.

Data on the number of Brits deserting the ailing NHS is from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN), which shares information about performance and fees of private consultants and hospitals.

It shows that just 199,000 procedures were private in 2019.

This dropped to around 145,000 in 2020, as the pandemic saw both the NHS and paid-for ops ground to a near halt as resources were redirected to treating those most unwell with the virus.

Private treatment numbers bounced back to approximately 262,000 in 2021 before spiking at 272,000 in 2022.

Cataract surgery was the most popular private procedure, followed by therapeutics, such as chemo. Hip and knee replacements and hernia repair surgery were other in-demand options.

This is despite some treatments costing more than £15,000. Some providers offer pay monthly deals.

Separate figures show 550,000 paid for private insurance in 2022 — 30,000 fewer than 2019, which experts say is driven by the cost of living crisis.

Providers say patients are increasingly desperate for treatment due to record NHS waits, according to the PHIN.

Latest NHS England data shows that the backlog is at the highest level since record began in August 2007, with one in eight people in the country waiting for treatment.

Ms Tebenham is one patient who has turned to private care.

She was diagnosed with gallstones in November 2022 and told that an operation to remove them should have been in April 2023 — but it could six to 12 months later.

The 28-year-old then borrowed £5,500, which she will be paying off for the next two years, to fund the procedure at a clinic in Luton.

She told the BBC: ‘It’s the best thing I’ve ever done because I’m no longer in pain.’

But Ms Tebenham is angry that she had to pay for the op herself, as she has been paying National Insurance — which, in part, funds the NHS — since she was 18. 

‘If this was any other industry, if you pay for a service and you don’t receive it, you should get a refund,’ she told the broadcaster.

Dr Ian Gargan, chief executive of PHIN, said: ‘There is a whole combination of factors influencing this growth, with the long NHS waiting lists, and uncertainty around how long you’ll be waiting, certainly key among them.

‘We know that everyone loves and respects the NHS and its hard-working staff, but people are increasingly investigating healthcare alternatives.’

It comes as private companies are set to be paid to treat NHS patients. 

This will see around 12 cancer diagnostic centres open in the South West, which has some of the longest waits. They will be operated by a single providers.

If the pilot is a success, similar schemes will be rolled out in other areas with the biggest backlogs, which are expected to be the East of England and South East. 

The NHS already has dozens of diagnostic hubs across the country, which offer blood tests and scans. 

Experts warned that cancer patients are dying while waiting for treatment, after NHS England data showed that two in five patients are not receiving within 62 days. They condemned ‘avoidable delays’ and warned that ‘live will be lost unnecessarily’. 

Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the move next month as part of his plan to use the sector to speed up the NHS recovery, according to The Telegraph.

And on Thursday, the Prime Minister will set out how patients will be able to use the NHS app to choose where they are treated, including private hospitals.

Those in England will be able to select their preferred hospital when first referred, or later in the process if their is a shorter wait at another location.

GPs will be monitored under the rules to ensure that they are informing patients of their ability to choose where they are treated.

One source told the newspaper: ‘This is about giving more power to the patient. Partly it’s about using the app for that, so patients aren’t reliant on their GP to tell them they don’t just have to go to the local hospital. 

‘But it’s also about an expansion in the role of the private sector, starting with independent sector-led hubs.’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer this week unveiled his plans to reform the NHS, which includes similar plans to offer patients more choice on where they are treated. 

It comes as official figures show the number of nurses working in the UK has reached its highest level on record.

There are now 788,638 nurses, midwives and nursing associates registered to work, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

The regulator welcomed the rise of more than 30,000 in a year but issued a stark warning about the number leaving the profession early.

And data shows more than half of the new registrants trained overseas, leading the Royal College of Nursing to warn the NHS has become ‘over-reliant’ on unsustainable foreign recruitment. 

The NMC pointed to ‘worrying findings’ from its leavers’ survey which indicate that many decided to leave the profession due to burnout or exhaustion, concerns about the quality of people’s care, workload or staffing levels.

Japanese paying experts to train them how to SMILE because they have forgotten how to after three years of Covid masks

• Many fear they’ve forgotten how to smile after wearing a mask for three years
• To help them beam again, many are turning to experts to rediscover their smile

By Christian Oliver

Published: 10:58 EDT, 9 May 2023 | Updated: 14:03 EDT, 9 May 2023