Why You Should Invest in a Charter Flight
We all know what travelling by plane involves: first you look up flight on the Internet and book tickets; then, on the day of, you wait for hours in the check-in line at the airport, go through security screening, and finally, you board the plane hoping you won’t be squished next to a sneezing passenger or a screaming child. This all-too-familiar process is known as taking a scheduled flight.
The alternative to taking a scheduled flight is called air charter. What exactly is a charter flight and how does it differ from its scheduled counterpart?
What is a charter flight?
A charter flight is an unscheduled flight which, unlike a scheduled flight, doesn’t follow specified routes. Chartering a flight means hiring a smaller, private jet plane for an individual or, more commonly, a group of people. This basically means that a chartered flight gives you the freedom to customize scheduling the way in whatever way suits you best.
To give you a better picture of what this type of air travel exactly involves, here are the main pros and cons of investing in a charter flight.
The pros
The advantages of private jet hire are many and mainly revolve around the flexibility and convenience that charter flights offer.
When you hire a charter flight, you get to choose the date, time, and place of departure, destination points, as well as the type of aircraft. This means the whole process of booking and taking a flight will be arranged around your personal needs and preferences.
Majority of private charter companies offer their services 24 days, 7 days a week and are ready to depart at a moment’s notice. Whereas scheduled flights will be canceled with no exception in case of bad weather, chartered flights companies have more airports at their disposal which means they can adjust the flight plans even in unforeseen weather conditions.
Taking a scheduled flight means having to abide by strict luggage regulations involving size, weight, and fees. Charter flights, on the other hand, have much looser restrictions on luggage. Whether you’re moving to another county, touring the world as a member of a rock band, or traveling to an important game with your team of professional athletes, you can safely transport all your belongings in one go without having to deal with the overly strict luggage allowance restrictions.
Is there anything worse than being cramped in a narrow seat for a long-haul flight? Unlike scheduled flights, charter flights give you the option to choose how many people you want to travel with on the plane. You can hire a single-entity charter flight if you want to enjoy the complete privacy of the plane or split the cost of the airfare with a group of friends.
Taking a chartered flight also means having the luxury to avoid overcrowded airports and invasive screening procedures. You will still have to go through security, but you can forget all about taking off your shoes and emptying the contents of your pockets.
If you thought that you had to be a billionaire to fly on a private jet, you thought wrong! Charter flights are actually often less expensive than the regular, scheduled flights. This is because chartered flights are usually handled by holiday tour operators which can significantly lower the price of the airplane ticket. If you shop around, you can find great deals for last-minute charter flights and book unsold seats at discount prices.
The cons
As flexible as charter flights are, there aren’t allowed in all countries so if you’re planning to charter a jet for your next holiday make sure you check in advance whether charter flights can fly to your destination of choice.
Many charter companies have rigid cancellation and refund policies. Since you normally have to pay in advance for a charter flight, you won’t be able to get a full refund unless you cancel your flight at least two weeks in advance.
To sum it all up, while charter flights aren’t able to take you anywhere in the world and often come with unappealing refund policies, they are an infinitely more convenient and comfortable way to travel by plane.
Despite the common misconception, flying on a private plane is not solely reserved for the rich and famous. Plus, chartering a plane will save you the stress of delayed flights, wasted hours spent in endless airport queues, overpriced airport parking, unprofessional staff, surprise charges, and many other things that you’re forced to deal when taking a scheduled flight.
Author Bio:
Audrey Taylor currently living in Adelaide with plans for moving to Sydney. Enjoys the little things in life such as coffee, DIY projects and reading about fashion trends. Obsessed with Netflix’s original show: The Umbrella Academy.
Audrey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theaudreyworld