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Why charter a flight?
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July 28, 1998: 10:08 a.m. ET
Once a token of corporate decadence, chartered travel can actually pay off
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NEW YORK (biztravel.com) - With over 20,000 aircraft in operation worldwide and service to ten times as many airports as commercial carriers, air charter offers unrivaled flexibility and convenience, making it one of the most efficient, yet overlooked, means of business travel.
While air charter isn't for everyone, the business travel community is slowly realizing that air charter can make good business sense as the cost of scheduled airline fares rises.
Flexible scheduling. You fly according to the timetable that works for you, not an airline's schedule.
Point-to-point travel. Not only do you fly nonstop (air charter eliminates the need for connecting flights), you can fly closer to your final destination. Major metropolitan areas generally have numerous minor airports that are strategically situated for easy access to and from various parts of town.
Increased productivity. Airport advance check-in, boarding and baggage retrieval procedures for scheduled airlines are time-consuming. By using air charter, you minimize unproductive time and remove in-flight distractions -- according to a recent Harris poll, travelers' productivity on charter flights is 20 percent higher than it is in the office, while on scheduled commercial flights it is 40 percent lower.
Economical. If you divide the cost of a chartered airplane by the number of passengers on board, you will find that air charter is often less expensive than scheduled commercial flights. Moreover, when you take all the wasted time and expenses into account -- such as unnecessary hotel fees, inconvenient airline schedules, and reduced productivity -- the true cost of scheduled airline travel amounts to much more than the simple price of an airline ticket.
Safe. All air charter companies are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and must meet stringent FAA safety, maintenance and training requirements. These requirements are essentially derived from the same FAA regulations used to govern the major airlines, but are often even more exacting. As a result, many of the world's top business leaders, entertainers and diplomats rely on air charter as one of the safest means of transportation available.
When it makes sense
Air charter is not only convenient and safe, it is often the most cost-effective way to travel. If you find yourself in any the following situations, consider air charter as a transportation alternative:
- When 3 or more passengers are traveling together in business class or first class
- When scheduled airline flight schedules are inconvenient, requiring you to miss important meetings or a large part of a working day just so you can catch a flight
- When airline flight schedules are inconvenient, requiring you to stay overnight in an hotel to catch an early morning flight to return home
- When the ability to work effectively in a group is essential while in flight
- When you need to travel to multiple locations within a short time period, or if you need to travel to two or more places in the same day
- When traveling to remote areas where there is no scheduled service, thus requiring a substantial amount of car travel
- When scheduled airline routing requires you to change aircraft at an airport where delays are frequent or probable.
When it doesn't make sense
Despite the advantages, business travelers who are concerned with their company's bottom line probably shouldn't use air charter if their travel plans resemble any of the following trip profiles:
- Long distances which are served by non-stop scheduled commercial flights
- Routes which have frequent scheduled airline service
- Trips that do not require a high degree of in-flight productivity
- Finding the least expensive airfare is the top business travel priority.
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