5 Questions for Your Private Jet Charter Broker Before Booking a Flight
Whether you’re chartering a private jet for business meetings across the country or boarding a transatlantic flight for a family vacation in Italy, safety should always be the top priority of your private jet charter broker.
But how do you trust that your flight advisor has your best interests in mind? Here are the five questions you should ask before deciding to work with a private jet charter broker.
What certifications and endorsements do you have?
For years, charter brokers operated without comprehensive government regulation. In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) introduced new regulations to block unethical brokers from misrepresenting the quality and type of aircraft, safety records and crew qualifications.
However, these regulations, known as Part 295, are just the beginning.
Before working with a private jet charter broker, make sure they have been audited and accredited by reliable third-party organizations.
Certified by both ARGUS and Wyvern, Stratos adheres to some of the most rigorous safety standards in the industry.
How do you ensure that my aircraft is safe?
At Stratos, we audit every carrier, every plane and every crew before each flight to ensure they continue to meet our stringent requirements that far exceed the minimum standards set by the FAA. To further ensure your safety, we only charter flights on turbo-prop and jet aircraft. We do not arrange flights on any piston-powered planes.
Will there be two pilots on my private charter?
Many private jets are rated for single-pilot operations. When you take to the skies with Stratos, you will always have two pilots on board regardless of the aircraft’s certifications.
Your pilot-in-command also must have at least 3,000 hours of flight experience, 1,500 hours as captain and a minimum of 250 hours in the type of aircraft you charter to meet our standards. To qualify as the second-in-command, the co-pilot must have at least 1,000 hours of experience and 500 as captain.
At Stratos, we ensure every flight has a highly experienced crew. When our high-quality operators assign a crew that doesn’t meet our standards, we advocate on behalf for a crew who does meet our flight experience requirements. When they can’t provide a crew that meets this standard, we will let you know and provide alternative options that can.
Which air carriers do you work with and why?
We’ve spent nearly 20 years building strong relationships with the best air carriers in the industry. While some private jet charter brokers boast access to the number of planes they have access to, we pride ourselves on the quality and reliability of every carrier, aircraft and crew member in our network.
Through our Approved Vendor Program, we seek out carriers who take a proactive approach to safety through significant financial investments, regular training and technological advancements. We also regularly interact with and monitor our carriers’ sales and operations staff to ensure they match our dedication to safety.
Do you maintain your own insurance coverage?
We require our air carriers to maintain high minimum liability insurance in addition to having a long-established safety record. As a private jet charter broker, we also maintain our own $50 million non-owned liability policy to provide clients with added protection and peace of mind.
“The best insurance is through a proactive approach to safety, and we take every precaution possible to ensure a safe flight every time our clients fly. We don’t like to think about the value that our insurance policy provides, but we do know one thing about insurance—it’s better to have it and not need it than the other way around,” says Joel Thomas, president and CEO of Stratos Jet Charters.
Want to learn more about working with a private jet charter broker to plan your next trip? Reach out to our flight advisors at (888) 593-9066 or contact us online to get started.
