| CHARTERING AN AIRCRAFT A Consumer Guide to Help You Fly Smarter Published by the NATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION (NATA) and annotated by BusinessJet Class for added convenience.
What is charter? Charter is probably one of the best-kept travel secrets around. In fact, the NATA's research shows that only a small percentage of frequent business travelers have considered chartering an airplane. But now, the secret is out. Last year, thousands of people all over the United States discovered the benefits of air charter. And every day, more travelers are discovering just how smart charter can be. Charter is about saving you time and, often, money on your business trips. Charter is the convenience of traveling on your schedule rather than the airlines’ schedule, and flying to airports closer to your final ground destination. Selecting a charter operator is not difficult, nor does it require a vast knowledge of the industry or federal air carrier regulations. Best of all, charter is having complete control over your travel environment, while enjoying the comfort, safety and security of a private aircraft. Charter aircraft operators are often referred to as ondemand or air taxi operators. These synonymous terms convey the key attribute of charter service—we’re there when you call, ready to conform to your unique schedule and needs. But, to help you form your own opinion of what charter is—and what it can do for you or your business—let’s answer a few of the most common questions asked about charter to help you select an operator that can meet your needs. When does it make sense to charter? Charter is smarter only under certain circumstances. The airlines are very competitive when it comes to carrying a lot of people, for long distances, to a limited number of destinations. So when traveling between two very distant, major cities, like Los Angeles and New York, or traveling overseas, it may make sense to travel on the airlines. But, there are times when charter makes a lot more sense. For example, when you have several places to go but very little time. Or, if there are more than one of you going. Or, if your destination is not a major airline hub. Or, when the airlines’ schedules just don’t fit into your business schedule. So, before you compare the costs of airline travel to air charter, consider the time and money you’ll save on overnight expenses— motels, meals and car rental—and factor in the inconveniences you often face with the scheduled airlines: lost/delayed baggage, missed connections, cramped seating and oversold flights, to name a few. Many times it’s smarter to charter. Well, how much does a charter cost? It will depend on your particular flight and really can’t be determined until you call a local charter operator with specific trip plans. But, generally speaking, charter rates will be hourly or by the mile, and will vary according to the size of the aircraft. Your BusinessJet Class accredited travel professional can email or fax a guaranteed quote to you in minutes. If you would like us to recommend a BusinessJet Class accredited travel professional, click here. To learn more about charter rates and conditions, click here. What information should I have when calling a charter operator? You’ve decided to charter an airplane. Good choice. So what’s your next step? First of all, lay out your travel plans. Ask yourself the following questions:
Note that your BusinessJet Class accredited travel professional offers you the ability to make all arrangements with one person. You only need to call your trusted agent to book your charter and any accompanying services as well as to book your hotel or limo or even your dinner reservation at the great new culinary hot spot in town. If you would like us to recommend a BusinessJet Class travel agent to you, click here. Ask about the fee structure. Some charter operators will charge by the mile and some will charge by the hour. Hourly rates are determined based upon the type of aircraft chartered, and normally include the cost of the aircraft, pilot(s), and standard catering. Operators will sometimes charge by the mile rather than by the hour, and their mileage rate will also include those items mentioned in the hourly rate method. Because the services offered are customized to fit your specific desires, it is difficult to give general price estimates. Keep in mind that the charter operator may need to adjust the final cost of your charter due to changes in logistics or en route deviations. If there is a potential for variations from a quoted price, this should be clearly noted at the time an agreement is reached with the operator. Note that BusinessJet Class considers all of the above before quoting a guaranteed price. The only extra charges will be for special catering and in-flight telephone usage. For more information about BusinessJet Class pricing, click here. Ask about any extra charges to the quoted price. Extras might include things like landing fees, de-icing, hangar storage, and federal and state taxes where applicable. A common extra fee is the pilot(s) waiting fee and overnight crew charges (if your trip requires an overnight stay for the crew at your destination). If your visit is a long one, your pilot(s) may have to drop you off, fly back to base and then come back later to get you. This doubles the flight time and possibly your fare. Ask your charter operator about this before the flight, so that you can create a plan that best suits your needs and budget. If it’s only a short visit, you’ll probably be better off paying the pilot(s) to wait. Typically, the hourly wait fee is based on the number of pilots, with a maximum charge per day. If the crew is to remain overnight, an overnight charge will be imposed to cover the crew’s overnight expenses. Ask about the aircraft. Normally, charter operators have a variety of aircraft types in their charter fleet, each designed for different missions. You should ask the charter operator about what aircraft they would recommend for meeting the mission of your flight. Then determine whether that aircraft will meet your needs for speed, comfort, and price. Generally, there are five classes of charter aircraft, with different models within each class. These five general classes of aircraft are:
Note that BusinessJet Class examines your trip parameters and displays a variety of aircraft suitable for the journey. This includes checking everything from runway lengths to instrument approach facilities. Your travel agent can then email quotes with aircraft pictures and guaranteed prices for you to choose from. Are these aircraft safe? Yes. Just like the airlines’ passengers, nearly every charter flight passenger that leaves an airport in the United States this year will land at their destination safely. The FAA has rules that also address crew rest, physical examinations, and mandate a stringent anti-drug/alcohol program for operators. The FAA closely monitors operators to make sure that they conform to the established standards of performance. The high standards for training, maintenance and operations required by the FAA, and the devotion to safety of the charter operators themselves, assure you of the safest possible flight environment. Couple this attitude towards safety with technology improvements in the cockpit over recent years, and you have the safest mode of transportation available. Safety is paramount to BusinessJet Class. Working together with the independent company, Aviation Research Group/US (ARG/US), out of the 3000 operators mentioned above, BusinessJet Class has chosen to display 127 of them based on their safety and operations rating by ARG/US. When your travel agent recommends a flight to you from the BusinessJet Class system, you can be confident it is the cream of the crop. To learn more about BusinessJet Class’ safety program, click here. Am I secure? Global security concerns have led to significant security enhancements within the entire aviation industry, and charter operators are no exception. In fact, enhanced security is often one of the primary reasons for chartering, because when you charter an aircraft, you are in control. You decide who is permitted on your flight. There are no strangers to overhear your confidential business conversations or to threaten your personal security. When traveling via charter, you dictate the departure time and location as well as the destination. Your flight itinerary is private, not published for the world to see, as is the case with airline schedules. Recently, the federal government has mandated security programs for most charter operators. In addition, most charter operators, and many airports, have also instituted security precautions for charter passengers that may include a verification of identification, checks of baggage for dangerous items, screening with a metal detector and other measures, even when not required by federal regulations. Your charter operator is dedicated to ensuring your safety and security and will be willing to answer any of your questions. What about weather? Weather can affect your flight plans when chartering just as it can affect airline schedules. The FAA has many regulations concerning weather, types of aircraft, and pilot capabilities. Some aircraft are equipped with various optional equipment that allows operation in complex weather such as icing conditions or heavy rain showers. The operator you select can explain the limitations of the aircraft and the company’s authorizations. The pilot will not fly an aircraft if the weather conditions do not meet the standards of his certification. Always trust the decision of your professional pilot when it comes to weather and flight safety. How can I avoid any problems? Do some checking. Every charter operator must have a certificate from the FAA showing that his or her operation meets or exceeds the agency’s standards for aircraft maintenance, management control and oversight of its crew’s training, flight time and health. Your safety depends on flying with a legally certified air taxi operator; never fly with an operator who does not appear to hold proper FAA certification. You may also wish to ask for verification of the type and limits of insurance coverage carried by the operator. Your pilot must hold either a Commercial Pilot Certificate or an Air Transport Pilot Certificate issued by the FAA, just as his or her airline counterpart does. Every six months he or she undergoes a mandatory proficiency check-ride with an FAA inspector, who also verifies the pilot’s knowledge of specified standard operating procedures and the aircraft he or she is flying – just like the airlines. But before you charter an airplane, you may wish to exercise your right to contact your regional FAA office and request verification that the charter operation is certified for the trip you’re planning and if its service record is good. The telephone number is easily found in your local directory under “U.S. Government, Transportation Department of.” If a charter operator is unwilling or reluctant to provide the answers to questions about their certificate and authorized operations, or does not want you to contact the FAA for verification, you would be wise to consider another operator to fill your travel requirements. Or, just ask your selected charter operator. Most are pleased to deal with an educated consumer and are proud of their safety record. They can provide you with their certificate number and the phone number of the FAA inspector responsible for overseeing their operations. Note that in addition to prescreening all operators displayed on our system, at the point of booking, we perform an ARG/US TripCHEQ for each flight. All of the concerns listed above plus many more, are verified before any trip is confirmed. Once completed and approved, we then advise your agent the specific operational details such as name of operator, pilot, contact info, etc. When your travel agent books a charter on BusinessJet Class, rest assured that the legwork has already been done for you. What about the ground facilities? Charter facilities will vary from airfield to airfield. The smaller airfields will often have many of the accommodations of major airports—waiting areas, restrooms and telephones. Many of these facilities, known as fixed base operators (FBOs), provide complimentary airport-to-town transportation. Also, it is very likely that your charter operator can prearrange ground transportation to be waiting for you upon your arrival. Charter operators are also excellent resources for obtaining your preferred lodging if your trip necessitates hotel accommodations. What these smaller fields facilities may lack in size, they make up for in warm hospitality. With few exceptions, people in aviation are there by choice: They like what they’re doing and their enthusiasm sparks a cordial atmosphere. There are two primary benefits to choosing a smaller airport: avoiding the delays and hassles so often found at the major airline hubs, and landing at an airport close to your ground destination. Can I make my connections with airlines if necessary? Occasionally, passengers in towns without airline service decide to charter an aircraft to more easily connect with an airline flight. This is possible. However, due to security, airports with airline service are divided into separate general aviation (including charter) and airline areas. But at most of these airports, courtesy cars are provided to drive you to the airline terminal. Inform your charter operator that you will be making an airline connection and they can make the necessary arrangements. How do I find a charter operator? It’s easy. You can take that familiar finger-stroll through your local yellow pages, and look for the heading “Aircraft” and the sub-heading “Aircraft Charter, Rental & Leasing Service.” Under this heading you will find the charter operators serving your area. It is possible that your local travel agent may be familiar with the charter operators in your area, and you can book your trip through them. Many charter operators are also members of NATA. We encourage you to visit the NATA's web site, www.nata-online.org, and use the NATA's “Buyer’s Guide” to locate operators in your preferred area. Keep in mind that you are not limited only to those charter operators in your immediate area. It’s possible that other operators in your region can serve your needs without large cost increases. If you would like us to recommend a BusinessJet Class accredited travel professional to you, click here. So what makes charter smarter? The advantages. The advantage of saved time. You can fly in or leave whenever you’d like—without having to depend on the airlines’ schedules or without the long hours on the road. You can go where you need to, get your business done and come back when you want. This means saving money on food, lodging and car rental. It could also mean spending more valuable time with your client or your family. The advantage of convenience . Over half of all airline flights connect with only the 20 busiest airports in the U.S. With charter you have direct access to all of these major airports—plus some 12,000 airports in small communities that the airlines don’t reach. Charter is the primary air link to about 19,000 smaller communities and over 400 cities. With a chartered aircraft you can often land whenever and wherever you want—usually much closer to your destination. You can avoid the large, crowded airline hubs. You can even have a car waiting for you when you land. You can choose your traveling companions. This means converting wasted travel time into useful study or preparation time. Just think of what you could accomplish with everyone together in your own private work area. And, you can take along extra people and equipment—at no extra cost. The advantage of security . You can be assured of corporate and personal security when traveling via air charter. Only those persons known to you and authorized by you will be on the aircraft. Your charter operator will maintain your security by preventing public disclosure of your flight plans and by complying with the strict safety and security mandates imposed and monitored by the federal government. Your personal peace of mind and satisfaction is the charter operator’s key goal during your charter experience. The advantage of knowing. Now that we’ve let you in on our little secret, you’re beginning to see the advantage of charter. The advantage that means spending more time in front of your clients and less time getting there. Once you try it, you’ll see for yourself how smart charter can be. You’ll probably wish you’d known about it sooner. |
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