近日，英國一家飛機租賃公司透露，由于英格蘭準備實施二次封鎖，一些富人提前預定私人飛機準備趁封鎖前離開英國，前往他們在歐洲大陸的其他住所。

Wealthy people in England were booking private jets to escape the lockdown set to be introduced on Thursday, according to jet brokers.

根據飛機經紀公司的消息，英格蘭的富人們紛紛預定私人飛機以逃離本周四（11月5日）開始實行的封鎖。

Air Partner, one of the biggest aircraft charter firms, said there had been a “sharp rise” in private jet bookings “out of the country before Thursday”, as people look to avoid the lockdown and instead spend the time overseas.

最大的飛機租賃公司之一航空伙伴稱，由于人們想去國外避開封鎖，“周四前”預定私人飛機出國的訂單量“激增”。

The company, which supplies planes to Premier League footballers, celebrities, the royal family and six out of the eight governments in the G8, said it had been overwhelmed with enquiries from wealthy people seeking to escape the UK for second homes overseas.

這家公司向英超球員、名人、王室成員和八國集團中的6國政府提供飛機。該公司稱，想要逃離英國前往海外住宅的富人們的咨詢讓他們應接不暇。

"Many of these flight enquiries are for individuals wishing to go to their second homes in Europe, with the Canary Islands, which are still warm at this time of year, being the most sought-after destination,” the company said in a statement. “We do expect to continue to see some demand for private jet flights during the rest of the month for business travel, particularly as many commercial flights become grounded and unavailable.”

該公司在一份聲明中說：“許多查詢飛機服務的都是想去歐洲第二住所的人，現在這個時候依然溫暖的加那利群島是最熱門的目的地。我們預期這個月一些商務旅行人士還會對私人飛機有需求，尤其是在許多商業航班都被叫停、無法預訂的情況下。”

The new lockdown in England, which has come into force on Thursday, will ban residents in England from travelling abroad except for essential work until at least 2 December.

英格蘭的新一輪封鎖于本周四實行，除以重要工作為目的外，英格蘭居民被禁止出國旅行，封鎖時間至少持續到12月2日。

Commercial airlines have dramatically reduced their flight schedules in anticipation of an even greater fall in demand for international travel, which has been moribund since the pandemic began.

由于預期跨國旅行需求量將進一步暴跌，商業航空公司已經大幅縮減了航班。自從疫情暴發以來，跨國航班基本處于停滯狀態。

moribund [?m??r?b?nd]: adj. 垂死的；停滯不前的

However, private jet operators have reported a much smaller decline in bookings. The operators say this is because the richest of the rich have continued to travel as much as before. In addition, more moderately wealthy people are seeking out private jets as they view it as a safer way to travel during the pandemic because it avoids potentially crowded commercial planes and airport terminals.

但是，私人飛機運營商報告稱其預定量的降幅要小得多。運營商表示，這是因為最富的那群人的旅行數量和以往差不多。此外，一般的有錢人選擇私人飛機是因為他們將其視為疫情期間更安全的旅行方式，可以避免商業飛機和航站樓擁擠的人群。

Private jet operators also reported a rise in bookings ahead of the first UK-wide lockdown in March. Private jet companies also marketed “evacuation flights” out of countries badly hit by the virus.

私人飛機運營商還報告稱，三月份在英國實施首次全國封鎖之前，預定量也有所上升。私人飛機公司還針對受疫情重創的國家進行“撤離航班”營銷。

The number of private flights dipped by just 10% between 1 September and 15 October compared with last year, according to aviation consultancy WINGX. That compares to a more than 50% drop in scheduled commercial flights.

根據航空咨詢公司WINGX的數據，私人飛機的航班數量在9月1日至10月15日期間同比僅下降了10%。相比之下，商業航班預訂量下降了逾50%。

Richard Koe, managing director of WINGX said: “The advantages of flying private, notably hygiene-control and convenience, should continue to draw some customers from the airlines.”

WINGX公司總經理理查德·高說：“私人飛機的優勢顯然是衛生管控和便利性，這一優勢將繼續從航空公司那里搶走客戶。”

Oliver Stone, managing director of private jet brokerage firm Colibri Aircraft, said: “Covid-19 has also resulted in an increase in enquiries from potential first-time buyers of business aircraft as the crisis has helped raise the profile and benefits of flying privately amongst those who can afford to do this.

私人飛機經紀公司Colibri Aircraft的總經理奧利弗·斯通表示：“新冠疫情還導致有意初次購買商業飛機的問詢量增加，因為在那些能夠負擔這一費用的人心中，這一危機使得乘坐私人飛機的地位和益處得到提升。”

"For many business owners and executives, travel is a necessary component to keep their business running. The use of private aviation is now often the only way to continue to travel and keep their companies operational.”

“對于許多企業老板和高管來說，出行是保持企業運轉的必要組成部分。乘坐私人飛機如今往往是繼續出行、保持公司運轉的唯一方式。”

Private jets emit about 20 times more carbon dioxide per passenger mile than commercial flights, according to industry data.

行業數據顯示，乘坐私人飛機的二氧化碳每客位英里排放量比乘坐商業航班高出約20倍。

英文來源：衛報

翻譯&編輯：丹妮