What is a Charter Flight

fla?t/ NOUN. Charter flight is a flight on an aircraft where all seats are paid for by a tour operator and then sold to its customers, usually at a lower cost than a scheduled flight. The air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e. chartering) and not individual aircraft seats (i.e. buying a ticket through a traditional airline). When the words "charter flights" evoke visions of private jets and celebrities, it's time to rethink your travel plans.

Advantages and disadvantages of chartering a flight

Perhaps you've already learnt of great fares you can get on a charter flight. Alternatively, you may have found a low fare on a packed holiday, and the fare components are on a charter flight. You are probably also one of the many travellers who do not know exactly what a charter flight is or the advantages (and risks) associated with chartering.

Which is a charter flight? In contrast to the regular services of most large US airlines, charter services usually take place outside the regular flight schedule. Charter flight seating can be purchased separately through a charter airline or as part of a holiday pack through a travel agent such as TNT Vacations. Or travellers can charter an aircraft for a group (or individual).

For security reasons, charter flight services are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As with all means of transport, there are advantages and disadvantages to chartering a flight. It is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages to see if the costsavings ( if any ) offset the disadvantages of chartering.

Which advantages does a charter flight have? As a rule, charter air travel is cheaper than business air travel. However, travellers should always check charter fare against fare on airline companies. Charter fare does not comply with most of the strict limitations that apply to business travel.

This includes specified pre-purchase and minimum or peak residence conditions. Most charter rates are not based on the differences in the traditional airfare category. Charts, however, have a tendency to give discounts on unsellable places near the date of take-off. As a rule, charter flight are straight. Which disadvantages does a charter flight have? As a rule, charts attempt to fill aircraft to their full capacities.

It is unlikely that you will have a free space next to you, as you could do on a business flight. In case a flight is not sufficiently booked, the charter party can terminate the flight within 10 working day after take-off. And since some charterers are flying pressureless aircraft (which have to go around the air rather than over it), bad air can also lead to flight cancellation.

Departures may be postponed up to 48hrs prior to your scheduled flight date without refunds. Timetables and tariffs may be changed until the date of travel. Charts have strong cancelation rules. Travellers usually have to make a charge for cancellations and are unlikely to be reimbursed. Some charter companies may, however, allow a replacement traveller to take a small fine instead of the booked traveller.

When a traveller fails to make the flight, he is not allowed to take the next flight. The majority of charter airlines have a use-it-or-lose approach. One of the simplest ways to make a reservation on a charter flight is through a holiday travel agent. Both TNT Vacations and Apple Vacations are two airlines that sometimes provide charter services as part of a parcel.

If you want to reserve a single place on a charter flight, it is best to go to a tourist agency. Finding precise information about certain charter destinations via the web is hard, and seasoned agencies will have more control over this information. Sometimes charter airlines promote themselves in the Sunday newspaper sector.

When you are planning to charter an airplane but have no particular business in mind, you should use a searching engine like AirCharterGuide.com. This website shows a pricing margin for available planes, charter companies and agents who organize the trip for you. Airline companies such as North American and USA3000 also offer charter services.