London: The credit crunch in the UK has forced the government to shelve plans for a 7 million pounds luxury jet for the British Queen, a news report said on Sunday.
It is the second time the monarch has missed out on getting her own jet.
Last year Prime Minister Gordon Brown was accused of snubbing the Queen when he scrapped a 100 million pound plan to buy three aircraft for VIPs.
The jets would have been equipped with the latest communication equipment and defence suites.
British government insiders said the latest move was being made against the backdrop of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. Anxious not to appear lavish amid the economic downturn, Queen Elizabeth II was moved to shelve the plan for the first-ever private airliner for herself from next month.
As the recession begins to bite, the British monarch and her family will continue to fly on RAF planes for the next year so that taxpayers do not have to foot the bill for the 12-seat executive aircraft, The Sun said today.
The Royal Family had been due take to the air in their first-ever private airliner from next month.
Bob Ainsworth, the UK Armed Forces Minister, announced the surprise change of plan yesterday. He said work has been carried out to “explore solutions for non-scheduled and dedicated flights to support the Queen and members of the Royal Family in their official duties.”
“Pending the finalisation of this work the MoD has agreed that 32 (The Royal) Squadron will provide continued support to the Royal Family until April 1, 2010,” he was quoted as saying by the British tabloid.
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