Up, Close and clear

The rich and the famous are hiring chartered flights for a better view of the solar eclipse

Up, Close and clear

The rich and the famous are hiring chartered flights for a better view of the solar eclipse

If you have the will and the wallet, nothing's beyond limit. Not the moon. Not the solar eclipse. And while many of us may miss the chance to watch the century's longest total solar eclipse because of the monsoon, a motley crew of businessmen, CEOs and top politicians from across the globe has come up with a unique plan.

Believe it or not, they have hired planes to get a glimpse! And will be at 35,000 feet, sitting comfortably in business jets, and watching the solar eclipse.

Experts say India is the only country where airborne observation would be possible. So for those who are cool about dishing out a lakh rupees will get a chance to watch the solar eclipse.

"We are taking six passengers on a Cessna Citation aircraft on Wednesday morning to watch the solar eclipse at Surat. We will start from Mumbai and return to Mumbai," said Tarun Yadav of Global Passages, the organising company.

One aircraft has been hired by a US-based chartered company to take around 40 passengers from Delhi airport to Gaya in Bihar. Another one has been hired by an Indian company to fly the country's three top CEOs and a business family to Surat.

All this comes for a price. Those onboard Cessna Citation-II will have to shell out Rs 90,000 while the ones who get on the 737-700 aircraft will have to shell out anything between Rs 60,000 and 80,000, depending on the seat they book.

While Cessna passengers will watch the solar eclipse from a height of 35,000 feet, those aboard the US aircraft will get to watch the solar eclipse from a height of 41,000 feet.

Aviation sources said even airlines, which have early morning flights scheduled on that day, have come up with special offers. And guess what? All tickets were sold as soon as the offer was out.

Money, honey!
Those onboard Cessna Citation-II will have to shell out Rs 90,000 while the ones who get on the 737-700 aircraft will have to shell out anything between Rs 60,000 and 80, 000, depending on the seat they book