The exponential increase in private aviation activity – up 40 percent globally year over year in February – is prompting corporate travel managers in increasing numbers to add business aviation to their toolkit. With this sector growing as a strategic part of travel programs, now is the time for buyers to understand not only the logistics of flying private, but also the safety and security issues to keep travelers safe.

The growth of private aviation in the past two years was originally driven by a desire to avoid crowded airports and aircraft to limit exposure to COVID-19. But as companies return to travel, and travelers discover the convenience of flying private, both have found business aviation may offer more efficient air travel solutions.

Safety & Security
Still, health is not the only consideration. Ensuring safety and security on board are also areas where the industry shines. In addition to government safety authorities, business aviation has industry auditing companies such as Argus/US, Wyvern and IS-BAO, independent entities which establish the reliability of companies and whether they adhere to the highest safety standards exceeding regulatory requirements. Both Argus/US and Wyvern have certified broker programs.

“Safety ratings are essential accreditations to ensure that you do not inadvertently expose yourself to excessive risk,” says Andrew VanderPloeg, senior vice president-sales at Private Jet Services. “Wyvern, ARGUS, and IS-BAO are the three leading safety auditors and rating providers that offer objective, third-party assessments and separate the best from the rest.”

Security is why many companies opted for private aviation even before COVID. First it allows employees to work in fully equipped “offices in the sky,” stay connected during flight, and eliminate the prying eyes of other passengers and risks from public WiFi at airports and airlines. In addition, private aviation means passengers only need 20 minutes to arrive and check in for their flights through secure facilities at fixed base operators (FBOs) at airports often much closer to origin and destination than commercial airports.

There are other resources to ensure one is not swept up in illegal charters, offering industry-leading guidance on acquiring jet cards for those who do not want to own an aircraft.

For instance, the Air Charter Association, which has an Aircraft Charter Consumer Guide on its website, focuses on charter safety standards, including the legality of flights and ensuring they operate in compliance with government regulations. The National Air Transportation Association, representing FBOs, also works on safety issues and educating the public about illegal charters.

Illegal charters are seen as a significant security threat, prompting government agencies such as the TSA and Customs and Border Protection, to get serious about enforcement, according to NATA senior vice president Ryan Waguespack.
“Over 70 percent of flights from Europe to the US operate illegally,” Waguespack warns. “It’s become one of the top issues. The best practices for private aviation are clashing with the sharing economy culture. We were getting three or four reports per month prior to the pandemic. It is now four to five a week.”

The problem, he explained, is the cost of operating legally is 40 percent higher. “But if they are compromising on the legality of their operation, where else are they compromising?” he asked. “Red flags include operators advertising costs at a deep discount or claiming to be under cost-sharing exemption. Those involved need to understand the risks and exposure, including customers who also face liability in participating in an illegal charter.”

The Right Advisor
The plethora of guidance can be daunting, increasing the importance of reliable aircraft/charter brokers who remain the nexus between consumer and aircraft.

“My best advice is to look for professional assistance in charter brokers. But there are few reviews as there are with hotels,” says Doug Gollan, whose Private Jet Card Comparisons website and newsletter offers objective content on safety, security and financial responsibility. “In the world of corporate travel management, travel managers share best practices. So the best way to find a good broker is to ask friends and colleagues who are frequent private flyers.”

VanderPloeg agrees, and advises hiring a private aviation consultancy to ensure the program is working with someone in an advisory capacity rather than someone who is trying to sell something the program doesn’t need.

“There are various charter options available, and knowing which is best boils down to understanding a client's unique needs, requirements, preferences and budget,” he says. “An aviation consultancy turns an array of choices into a set of options tailored to meet your specific needs or develops an optimized, tailored solution. At a consultancy, professionals with expertise in the private aviation ecosystem know the right questions to ask to ensure the best outcome.”

Gollan also suggests acquiring jet cards or private aviation memberships for those not planning to fly more than once or twice a year. “It makes sense,” Gollan says. “They can secure fixed prices, so clients can accurately budget because different programs fit different flying profiles.”

In the end, Gollan says it’s about building relationships. “Buyers should view providers – brokers and operators – as partners who need to know what’s most important to you,” he says. “They also need to know what you care less about. Communication is the key. But the biggest thing you need to understand is good customers get better service. If you shop every trip, and try and negotiate the last $1,000, you probably won’t get the high level of service your executives expect.”

VanderPloeg sees due diligence of operators as the cornerstone of all business aviation safety programs. “Using qualitative and quantitative analysis, we proactively track and identify which carriers have the best practices, safest operating histories, and highest standards for pilots – all of which ultimately reduce our clients’ exposure to the unexpected. Anyone flying with a charter company or provider should make sure to cover all these bases and a variety of scenarios before booking.”

Simon Moore, senior vice president of group charter at Air Partner USA, agrees. Unlike many other charter brokerage companies, Air Partner has its own in-house compliance department.

“Due diligence in the aircraft charter market ensures that you have full transparency when it comes to your choices,” Moore explains. “Work with an experienced broker with global reach and stable financials. Ask for references and request background on the provider’s safety management system (SMS) or Quality Management Systems (QMS) programs.”

New Approaches
Sharing Economy and Apps – In the last few years, private flight apps have been exploding, offering bookings on empty legs of aircraft returning to base or their next assignment. However here, too, buyers must beware.

“Promises of cheap private jet flights invoking Uber analogies and claiming technology breakthroughs lower charter costs are common themes of uninformed coverage of apps,” Gollan cautions. “The articles are wrong. Apps don’t impact how much you will pay. In fact, most online pricing tools for private jets don’t even give you hard quotes. They are simply tools to capture your contact information so sales reps can follow up. Much of the charter rates you see online are estimates. And for every slick app, you’ll find if you aren’t familiar with the industry’s ins and outs, it’s easy to make big mistakes. Shopping for private jet flights based on price can be costly and even deadly.”

By-the-Seat Pricing – To fill in the void by the number of communities being ditched by airlines, new models have arrived designed to make private aviation more accessible by reducing prices. For example, JSX, based in California, offers private aviation perks but by-the-seat pricing connecting under-served markets in a quasi-regional airline model.
Using 30-seat Embraer regional jetliners, the carrier serves an extensive domestic network with focus cities in Burbank, Orange County, Oakland/San Francisco, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Miami and Westchester County, NY. Prices per seat vary based on time of day, day of week, and remaining seating inventory on the airplane. With advanced planning, a regional flight between Phoenix and Oakland could be as little was $200 one-way, while longer trans-continental flights like Westchester County to Miami begin at $750 one-way.

“Private aviation comes at a hefty price since the customer charters the entire jet unless they fill all the seats,” says Ben Kaufman, director of marketing. “This is costs for space, crew, and fuel they don’t need. By-the-seat pricing means customers share the jet but are not responsible for filling all the seats.”

Similarly, Hopscotch Air, serving the Northeast, MidAtlantic and Canada, offers an annual membership of $3,250 for a set number of flight hours, or a pre-pay membership for $25,000 per year which results in discounted flight costs. It also offers pay-as-you-fly which brings trip costs down. Unlike its competition, however, Hopscotch does not charge by the flight hour. Instead guaranteed pricing is more like an airline, based on demand and time of travel.

Corporate travel managers, with their intimate knowledge of their clients travel habits and needs, are now in a unique position to combine the intelligence they have with the intelligence of private aviation consultancies to serve their clients better.