From cabin crew to pilots and airport staff, there are countless people who play a critical role in ensuring everyone aboard the aircraft has a safe and comfortable flight. But do private jets have a crew, and how do they compare to those found in scheduled airline service?

Here are four things to know about the private jet crew members that make private aviation a relaxing and luxurious experience.

1. Do you need a cabin crew for a private jet?

Private jet charters, just like commercial flights, rely on skilled team members to help you get from Point A to Point B.

After checking in at the FBO and climbing aboard your private jet charter, you will quickly meet your cabin attendant or flight attendant. While these team members share similar roles, private jet flight attendants have more safety training and responsibilities than cabin attendants.

Cabin attendants typically have a certificate from a career college or university. They bring a vast amount of communication skills and aviation knowledge to the team with a focus on providing exceptional service.

“Both are customer experience-focused, but the flight attendant requires FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) certification,” says Joel Thomas, founder and CEO of Stratos. “The certification is mostly oriented around safety training. But a flight attendant is more valuable and can command a higher rate.” 

Flight attendants aboard an executive jet charter also have training in:

  • First aid
  • Fire control
  • Aircraft evacuation
  • Emergency procedures

2. Do private jets have one or two pilots?

While some aircraft can be flown by a single pilot, we require our air carriers to have two private jet pilots on every flight.

To meet our safety standards, both pilots require extensive training and experience. The private jet captain on your aircraft must have:

  • A valid Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate—the highest level of training in the industry
  • A minimum of 3,000 hours of total flight time
  • At least 1,500 hours of flight time as pilot in command
  • A first-class medical certificate
  • A minimum of 250 hours of training on the specific aircraft they’re flying

3. How many crew members are on a private jet?

It depends on the aircraft you charter and the number of passengers. Smaller jets on short-haul flights may not require a private jet cabin crew, while larger aircraft will often have a certified flight attendant on board.

On long-range trips on a heavy jet and with more than 12 passengers, you may have more than one flight attendant. When booking your trip, your private flight advisor will be able to tell you about the crew you can expect aboard your flight.

4. How experienced is the crew on my jet charter?

Safety always comes first when you charter a private jet with Stratos. Before we work with an operator, we pre-screen their flight history, aircraft, crew and even their scheduling personnel to ensure they continue to meet our Approved Vendor program. 

“We’re not willing to take a chance with disreputable air carriers and under-experienced crews,” says Thomas. “We strive to protect our clients by only working with the best in the industry.”

When a crew that doesn’t meet our standards is assigned, we advocate for your safety to ensure you always have the most experienced crew on board while the other team gets their training on other brokers’ flights.

Want to learn more about our rigorous pilot and crew experience requirements? Give us a call at (888)593-9066 to get started.