On-Demand Charter Flights

Benefits of Using a Broker For Your Charter Flights

There are so many benefits to working with a broker for your private jet charter needs. So it’s no wonder that more and more private fliers are looking to charter brokers to help them charter a jet. Working with a charter broker eliminates the stress of being at the helm of every detail of your trip. With a broker, you do not need to be an expert in all realms of private jet charter such as jet safety and pricing knowledge. You can simply trust your broker to take care of things for you.

Here are some of the things a private charter broker can do for you:

• Secure a flight for you with ease, no matter the destination.  Charter brokers are connected to operators across the globe, which allows for a seamless travel experience.
• With the fleets of many carriers at their disposal, a broker has a wide array of private jet charter options. They use these resources to help you select the most effective and economic travel plans.
• Take care of or mediate any necessary paperwork, and take care of your insurance requirements.  
• Keep you safe by working only with highly certified and rated operators, aircraft, and pilots.
• Ensure that each operator is stringent with the restrictions and regulations he needs to follow. Brokers knowledge on these regulations brings invaluable foresight to each trip.
• Use their resources and expertise to prepare alternatives for unpredictable events. Weather anomalies, mechanical failure, last minute schedule changes, are recovered from quickly.

However, the search for a reliable trusted private charter broker can prove difficult. That’s because there are little to no requirements involved in becoming a charter broker. Literally, anyone can slap the title “charter broker” after their name and hand you a business card. By using a platform such as Jets.com, you can assure that your broker has knowledge and experience. Brokers must pass through a rigorous inspection to become Jets.com Certified. We screen our brokers on their standard of safety, depth of knowledge, and level of experience. In this article, we will teach you how you too can successfully screen a potential broker, to ensure that any broker you partner with for private jet charter is legitimate.

Safety

Here at Jets.com, we put the utmost priority on safety. For fliers considering private jet charter, or any kind of private travel options, we can not stress the importance of safety enough. The operation of private aircraft tends to have much more relaxed rules and regulations than that of commercial airlines. And so, it is up to you to ensure that your broker or any provider you may be working with is putting your safety first.

Here is some of the safety criterion that a broker has to follow to become Jets.com Certified:

• Brokers must have a comprehensive knowledge of Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). These pertain to the operator and govern items such as runway length, pilot rest days, and aircraft maintenance schedule. This knowledge gives the broker a foresight which ensures that operators are adhering to high standards of safety.
• We require brokers to partner only with operators which hold FAR 135 certification or higher. Initially, brokers provide us with a list of operators they use, for our review. They must keep us updated when they form new relationships so that we can double check that a high level of safety protocols are being adhered to.
• Brokers must source the only aircraft which have high ratings by either ARG/US, Wyvern, or both. ARG/US and Wyvern are third-party rating companies which not only confirm the safety and legitimacy of operators but also of pilots and aircraft.

Safety questions to ask if you are seeking out a private broker independently:

• What are your standards for safety?
• Do you have a minimum requirement for operator’s FAR certification?
• Are the aircraft of the fleets your source for private jet charterrated by ARG/US or Wyvern?
• If so, do you uphold a minimum rating level requirement?
• How often do you check that your operators are maintaining their certification?

Network

When you entrust a charter broker with your flight booking and details, it is as if you gain a whole aviation team to back your trip. First, brokers have relationships with a network of operators across the globe. At Jets.com, our brokers are partnered with an extensive list of operators to ensure reliability and plenty of options.

Once you are contacted by a broker through Jets.com, your broker will be working with you throughout your entire travel process. However, in any case, in which your broker is unavailable for immediate assistance, there will always be another broker available. This way, our fliers always have someone to answer their questions, relay information to their broker, and offer help in any way. Some brokers work in pairs in order to offer the most reliable assistance. Some may have an assistant to take calls at any time, night and day. A good broker should be prompt with communication and available at all times for any of your needs. They also have a sound network of ground transportation services, catering companies, and can act as a concierge service for their fliers. They have extensive knowledge of.

Questions To Ask Your Broker: Resources and Response

• What is your usual response time?
• What would happen if I need to get hold of you immediately but you are unavailable?
• Will I be working with you throughout my entire trip?
• Are you able to help me secure a hotel, ground transportation, event venues, etc., if need be?
• Do you have a list of your go-to catering companies and in-flight service providers? How extensive is that list?

Foresight

Working with a trusted broker provides an invaluable foresight to the private flier.  A great broker has a good stock of resources and expertise which enable him to create back-up plans for any flight anomalies. Last-minute changes to itinerary are easily handled. Changes in weather are detected sooner than later and alternate airports/ routes available on reserve. And there is a peace of mind with knowing you have a team behind you to recover quickly in case of a mechanical failure.

Questions To Ask Your Broker: Foresight

• How late in the process will I be able to make last-minute changes to the itinerary? Oftentimes, you will be able to change your course even while en route.
• What kind of backup plans are in place in case of flight anomalies?
• How far in advance are you able to foresee undesirable changes in weather?
• What would happen if my jet were to experience mechanical failure?

Convenience

Working with a broker eliminates hours of research and comparison for the private flier. With a broker, you do not need to be proficient in jet pricing knowledge and negotiation. You do not need to know which travel routes are most price-effective and time-efficient. You do not need to find and secure the best catering services, ground transportation, and providers for special in-flight services. Your charter broker can take care of all of this for you.

Private jet charter allows for convenience and time-saving in so many areas. However, one downfall of flying private is the paperwork. It's not much, but there are things that need to be covered, such as insurance, which do not apply to commercial travel. A charter broker remedies this inconvenience by taking care of paperwork and insurance for you.

The entire process can be completely seamless. You only need to inform your broker on your basic trip details and needs for additional services, and it will be taken care of for you.

Questions To Ask Your Broker: Convenience

• What is required of me throughout the flight process?
• What kind of paperwork will you take care of for me?
• How much knowledge do you have on my flight destination?
• Can you help me with details of my trip beyond the flight?

Pricing

An experienced broker knows the proper price for a flight. They know how to find that deal and will work and rework your flight details until he secures the best, most economic flight options for you. For example, a slightly different route or minor airport switch may fetch a lower price than the original plan. Your broker has worked with price-sensitive clients and knows how to get the most out of your dollar. Based on your own priorities, your broker will present a few different options for you. With a broker, you don’t have to worry about a provider taking advantage of your inexperience.

Questions To Ask Your Broker: Private Jet Charter Pricing

• What kind of options do you have options for price-sensitive fliers?
• Can you set me up with a package deal that can save me money on flying, such as with membership options or jet cards?

All in all, a professional broker takes out the guesswork when it comes to safety and reliability. We give you options and room for flexibility of itinerary. We save you time, money, and stress.