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Madonna and Prince Charles have been encouraged to consider the idea of flight-sharing in order to reduce the environmental impact of their regular private plane journeys.

The pair are two of the most high profile members of a group of 3,000 people who have been invited to join the world's first private flight-sharing club.

David Lacy, a 26-year veteran of the aviation industry who first introduced the concept of carbon offsetting to the European private jet industry last year, devised the thinking behind the Flightshare Private Members Guild.

Membership of the club enables sharing of private flights through access to a secure portal and private coordination service.

Mr Lacy said: 'Sharing trips in this way will reduce much of the waste in the private jet industry by utilising empty seats and empty legs.

'It's a known fact that the world's private jets currently fly empty for 40% of the time, often with several aircraft flying to and from the same airports, on the same day and at very similar times, creating their own congestion and using up precious air traffic slots.'

He went on to explain that major entertainment and social events create a 'honeypot' effect around airports, while some destinations often attract a lot of people at the same time who are travelling for general business or leisure purposes.

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