To Americans used to seeing their President land in style on Air Force One, Gordon Brown’s arrival in New York on an anonymous charter aircraft may have seemed a little undignified.

The Prime Minister was forced to make an unusual choice of carrier just three weeks after dropping proposals approved by Tony Blair to avoid such complications.

BA, despite having a fleet of more than 230 aircraft, could not find a spare jet to fly Mr Brown and his entourage to the US for his three-day visit. Virgin and bmi could not help either, forcing Downing Street to go to a charter company in Essex that normally flies football teams and pop stars.

BA and Virgin said that all their aircraft were needed for scheduled services, and both denied any suggestion that they had snubbed Mr Brown; bmi only has three long-haul aircraft and they each have full schedules.

Mr Blair usually travelled overseas on a rented British Airways Boeing 777, with the Union Flag symbol on the tailfin disguising the absence of a dedicated prime ministerial aircraft. Last month, Mr Brown cancelled plans made by Mr Blair for the purchase of a VIP airliner that would have been used by the Royal Family and senior ministers.

The plane, dubbed “BlairForce One”, would have cost about £100 million. Mr Blair approved the decision to buy the aircraft after having to fly to a summit in Brussels on an aircraft with Austrian livery. He may also have been concerned about the safety of private chartered aircraft after being involved in an aborted take-off when an engine blew up on the runway at Johannesburg in 2006.

Mr Brown, displaying his self-denying son-of-the-manse streak, ruled last year that ministers should take scheduled flights where possible, but the size of his entourage for the trip to the US – almost 100 aides, officials and journalists – required a dedicated aircraft. Downing Street turned to Titan Airways, based at Stansted airport, which is popular with celebrities and the super-rich for offering a discreet but luxurious service. Titan supplied a Boeing 757 that had room for 250 passengers but was modified to contain 100 reclining leather seats.

Mr Brown may have to opt for Titan again when he attends his first G8 summit in Japan in July. That month marks the start of the busiest holiday period for scheduled airlines and none is likely to have an aircraft available. BA’s long-haul fleet is fully stretched after the airline lost a Boeing 777 in a crash at Heathrow in January.

An aviation industry source said: “There are good logistical reasons why no scheduled airline could help Mr Brown this time. But he may not find airlines falling over themselves to be helpful in future. With his popularity waning, what is there to be gained from carrying him, especially when any slip-up would be seized on by the media?” BA, however, has reason to show gratitude towards Mr Brown. He has persisted, against the advice of some members of his Cabinet, in supporting a third runway and a sixth terminal at Heathrow.

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