Booking an aircraft: charter or rental?

How to rent an aircraft? What are the types of business jet rentals and charter flight bookings? Who organizes flights, and where can you book them? This editorial will help you understand these issues and get a better grasp of how modern private aviation is organized and how it works. 

How to use a business jet if you do not own it? You can book a charter or rent an aircraft. 

Charter is the booking of an aircraft to transport a certain number of passengers on the route and schedule set by the customer. Charters are booked for various purposes: business, personal, recreational and tourist trips, attending events, transportation of sports teams, corporations’ employee, medical transportation, etc.

Types of charters: 

● Individual: transportation up to 19 passengers in small and medium business jets. 

● Group: transportation from 19 to 50 passengers in medium, large business jets and business liners. 

● Corporate: transportation from 50 to 330 passengers in air liners. 

Rental 

An aircraft rental means renting a business jet in order to carry out flights for a certain period of time.

Rental types: 

● Leasing — there are various forms of leasing: an aircraft can be bought by the customer or returned after the necessary period of operation. In different leasing programs there may be payments for maintenance, as well as fixed or differentiated payments for rental. 

● Turnkey rental — the aircraft is rented with all the necessary services (crew, supply, etc.) whilst the renter guarantees the owner to do a certain minimum of flight hours and pays a fixed rate for a flight hour. 

● Purchase of flight hours — the customer purchases a fixed number of flight hours, which allows them to rent an aircraft of a certain class for a certain period of time. 

Where can you book aircraft charters and rentals? 

Charters 

These can be booked from airlines, brokerage agencies, travel agencies and intermediaries that provide these types of services. Booking from a brokerage company is the optimal way. In this case, you will get the most number of aircraft options, and, at the same time, you will not encounter any restrictions that often arise with airlines and travel agencies. The flight will be implemented more reliably than with intermediaries. Moreover, a brokerage company does not charge an additional commission for organizing a charter — unlike travel agencies and concierge services. 

Rental 

An aircraft rental is carried out through airlines, management companies as well as directly from aircraft owners — individuals and companies. The optimal way here is to seek advice and get the best proposals for each specific task from an experienced management company, which will be able to provide the largest number of options and methods of acquisition for rental. 

How is a flight booked and organized? 

The main stages of organizing a flight by a private aircraft when booking a charter: 

1. You send an application or request to the relevant company and tell them the dates of the trip, goals, number of passengers, etc. The application is processed. 

2. In response to your application, you are offered several options of aircraft that meet your requirements and are ready to follow your route on the dates indicated by you. All you have to do is choose the right option. 

3. An agreement is concluded with you on the organization of transportation services, and payment is made. 

4. The flight is prepared for departure: on-board food is ordered, as well as beverages, accompanying services and entertainment in accordance with your wishes and the individual preferences of passengers. 

5. You receive the flight details: the airport of departure and arrival, terminals, time, data on the crew and service responsible for your flight at the airport. You can book a transfer, separate lounge and other services that you need before departure. 

6. You arrive at a special business aviation terminal for departure. You are greeted by a representative of the brokerage company that organizes your flight, and they personally accompany you at all stages before departure. You go through all the necessary procedures, but in the simplest and quickest way. 

7. You are taken on board by a special vehicle, and the aircraft crew and captain personally greet and accommodate you on board. The aircraft flies off when ready. On board, you are provided with everything that was ordered before departure, along with the additional services kindly provided by the brokerage company that organizes the flight. 

8. Upon arrival you are greeted by a representative of the brokerage company that organizes the flight, who personally helps you go through all the stages of control, collects your luggage and saves every single minute of your precious time.