8 Questions to Ask Your Luxury Private Jet Company
When looking to travel, you want to ensure that you choose a luxury private jet company that will guarantee your safety, include the benefits you’re looking for, and make your flying experience a breeze.
There are so many benefits to flying private. For instance, you get more flexibility, more private and luxurious accommodations, more convenient flight destinations, and so on. With the affordability of private jet charters, more and more people are taking advantage of all these amazing perks.
But, how do you know who to trust? With large, commercial airlines, their business can be all over the internet or in your daily news feed. Private jets, however, offer a whole different type of experience. And, if you are not familiar with the particular luxury private jet company, you are going to want to ask some questions.
Not sure what to ask? Well, you have arrived at the right place. We’ve put together a list of 8 questions for you to ask your luxury private jet company before you fly.
1. What is Your Safety Record?
Perhaps the most important question you can ask is in regard to the safety of the company. After all, you are entrusting them with your life as you climb on board their private jet. There are a couple of companies that rate those within the aviation industry. The ones you should consider looking into are:
ARG/US, Wyvern PASS, and the FAA. Your luxury private jet company should be able to provide their:
- Certificate
- Rating
- Or, audit results from these companies
This will tell you whether they pass the industry standards.
2. How Experienced and Well-Trained are Your Pilots?
While the health of the jet obviously has something to do with the safety of your flight, it also comes down to how experienced and trained your pilot is. This is definitely something to look into.
Pilots should have at the very least 1,200 hours of flight time. Find out before you book. You may also want to ask about any accidents or violations, too. Don’t feel as though you are being too overly cautious. Remember, this is your life you are talking about – and your safety truly matters. The answers to these questions are standard and charter pilots should have no problem being presented to you.
3. What Type of Jets Will I Find in Your Fleet?
Whether or not you know much about private jets, you likely know that there are a ton of private jets that have been manufactured over the years. Some are larger than others and some have perks that others don’t. Some may view others as more luxurious.
If you have an idea of what you are looking for, great. If not, that’s ok, too. Simply discuss with the private jet company and learn about all the jets they offer – and decide which is the best for your needs. They will be able to help guide you, based primarily on the size, amenities, and, of course, the distance you desire to travel.
Either way, ask about your options.
4. Does Your Company Have Operational Control?
Booking a charter flight may be confusing, especially because there are so many companies out there that offer the flights. But, when it comes down to it, you need to find out – is it a company or a broker? And, yes, there is a difference.
See, charter operators have operational control. However, brokers do not. Brokers simply provide a service – which is linking you to private jets.
Before you book your trip, you want to make sure you are working with a luxury private jet company that has control over the operations. This means that they have a hand in the maintenance, dispatch, operation, crew, and so forth. They are more in-tune with the entire private jet experience and can ensure that you have an experienced pilot and a well-maintained aircraft.
5. Does Your Company Have an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC)?
An AOC is a certificate that is issued to private jets by the FAA. It is a business license of sorts that grants permission for the aircraft to be in legal use for charters. But, you should know that the FAA doesn’t just grant these certificates to just anyone. There is a list of requirements that must be met before the accreditation will be given.
It is important to note that some private jets will attempt to charter without the AOC certificate – so be sure to ask.
6. Have the Jets Been Refurbished and Updated?
You will discover that it is not uncommon to have private jets that date back a couple of decades still in operation today. And, as long as they are cared for and well-maintained, you shouldn’t necessarily be too concerned about the age.
However, if you are looking for highly luxurious accommodations in your private jet, you may need to ask for this. Some are refurbished and updated, others are not. And, while a dated interior doesn’t affect the power of the jet, it may not coincide with your desires.
Before booking, don’t be swayed by the date of the jet. Instead, ask about those which have the accommodations that meet your needs and wants.
7. Are Your Price Quotes All-Inclusive?
If you don’t want any surprise charges, be sure to ask your private jet company whether or not their quotes are all-inclusive. For instance, you want to be sure there will be no surprise charges for things such as parking, fuel charges, ground handling, catering, permits, and so forth.
While you don’t need an all-inclusive price, it can help you budget your funds much easier if you know the costs upfront without getting hit with fees at a later time.
8. Is the Aircraft Insured?
Last, but not least, you want your luxury private jet to be insured. This seems like a logical thing to have – just like car insurance, right? However, to keep things copacetic should something go wrong, ask to see the Certificate of Insurance (with matching tail number, of course). It will be one more thing to give you peace of mind.
Conclusion
Whether you are new to flying private jets or you have been around the world a time or two, you never want to let your guard down. Always, always ask your luxury private jet company questions.
