Aircraft Charter Vs Fractional Ownership

Wednesday 23rd September 2009

See what solution is best for you and how JetAir can provide you with the perfect solution.

If I own a fractional ownership card / share already why should I consider to charter?

In short, fractional ownership gives companies and individuals the chance to own part of a private aircraft in return for an agreed amount of hourly usage. This simple and straightforward scheme may sound a tempting offer but we asked: Is it always advisable to use your pre-purchased fractional card on every trip you need to go on?

To find the right solution for you any good independent advisor would tell you to research or consider these following points:-

1.) If possible make an itinerary of your flying programme for the year coming – Identifying key destinations, dates of travel, preferred type(s) of aircraft and passenger numbers. It may be the case that a charter operator could offer you a different aircraft more preferable to your requirements on some if not all routings.

2.) Independent aircraft charter operators / brokers may be significantly cheaper than any fractional scheme with the proviso that they can keep the aircraft with you at your destination. Some operators will be prepared to stay longer than others (especially if the opportunity of frequent flights is available). This is the same when using an aircraft broker as they will search the entire market to find the best solution - not just within their own fleet. In addition to this, an aircraft broker may also negotiate better rates due to their high frequency of bookings.

3.) Before committing yourself or the company to any scheme it may be worth considering using both options (Fractional and Charter). Typically fractional schemes would be worth considering for short trips which require a longer stay whereas aircraft charter operators would be more cost effective for short stay trips.

4.) Avoid unnecessary ‘additional costs’ – No matter which type of service you prefer additional costs may be incurred after your trip, so it is important to be advised what these costs may be before you agree to travel. Most European aircraft charter operators will usually offer a fully inclusive price based on the timings and airports initially quoted.

5.) If your scheme allows you to interchange between different aircraft models it would be worth calculating what the decease/increase ratio would be as opposed to sourcing a charter operator of that particular type. JetAir can provide free non-obligation quotes to make your assessment.

If you would like to know more about our services please do not hesitate to contact one of our sales executives on +44 (0) 1293 566 040.