Since private jet charters cost a significant amount of money, you can do a lot of research regarding the various prospective private planes, pilots and crew members. Many of the questions you would ask people are downright personal, but this line of questioning is done in this business.
International Operations
Private jet charter companies can afford to hire the very best pilots, crew members and maintenance crew. However, not all top-notch pilots have experience flying private jets to other countries. If you’re planning an international flight, you’ll need a pilot who has experience with flying in foreign countries.
You’ll want him to take the security and safety measures necessary for the region you’re going to. You may also need him to help you with things like visas and customs forms. You’d easily find this professional at a Houston private jet charter.
Aircraft Maintenance
Private jets generally receive more frequent attention from the maintenance crew than commercial airliners do. However, if you’re going to depend on a private jet for a long trip, you may want to double-check with the prospective charter broker that maintenance is done frequently on their planes.
You may want to know how often the technicians receive training specifically for the plane model you want to ride in. Does the pilot know what to do when maintenance problems arise during a trip?
Aviation Insurance
You’ll likely never be in a situation where a claim against aviation insurance will be necessary. However, you may want to make sure that you would be covered in a worst-case scenario. Ask what insurance company the charter broker uses and what the coverage and limits are.
Make sure you are named as an additional insured person. You’ll want a waiver of subrogation as well as a certificate of insurance. You want to make sure that the coverage is confirmed and that it would apply to the specific aircraft you’re thinking about flying in.
Background and Experience
You may want to enquire about who your pilot would be, his overall experience and how long he has flown private jets. Knowing what aircraft type is on the charter certificate is important. You may want to know specific information regarding the plane’s history and the background and experience of crew members. If you are flying over mountains or water, you may want to ask how much experience the pilot has flying that kind of special operation.
Safety and Security
You can get nosy and ask about the pilot’s safety record. You’ll want to know whether he’s been audited by a third-party organization and what the findings were. What are the security program requirements you’ll need to comply with? How often and where is the crew trained?
Ask about crew flight time and duty limits. Ask whether your flight attendant is trained for the plane you’re considering flying on. Does the plane have a defibrillator, and does the crew know how to use it? Does the plane have an in-flight medical assistance program?
Customer Service
With a high crew-to-passenger ratio, receiving customer service on board private jets is usually not a problem. However, you may want to know whether the charter service’s pilots and flight attendants are trained in customer service. What are their customer satisfaction ratings? Are the planes at the airport ready to go long before the scheduled flight time? Is there a customer service person you can complain to at any time of the day or night?
Problem Resolution
There’s always the possibility that the plane you’ve booked and paid for becomes unavailable. Would the pilot find you other accommodations? Who would the substitute pilot be? A substitute plane, pilot and crew would mean you don’t know anything about them. Would the company have time to answer questions about them? You can only find out so much information from the NBAA and from ARGUS and Wyvern.
While flying in a commercial airplane is relatively inexpensive, you wouldn’t know the plane’s condition, or whether the pilot has a bad history, you should know about. Knowing every detail about the hardware and people who will have control of your life is the beauty of using a private jet.
