Aren’t All Air Charter Operators Legit?

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A bright shiny airplane, sharply dressed pilots in official-looking uniforms, personalized air transportation — sounds great, doesn’t it? Since the pandemic, private air charter has surged because of the convenience and personal touch. With that surge have come unscrupulous, illegal charter operators that mimic legitimate operators, but they do not have Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization to fly. Why is that important to you, the passenger? Because these rogue operators, while they may be cheap, do not abide by the same standards of safety that legitimate, legal operators must abide by.

Your Safety Is Not Cheap

Rogue operators are cheaper because they don’t follow the same safety requirements that FAA-authorized operators are required to, such as:

  • More stringent pilot training, qualifications, and certification.

  • Robust operational safety rules such as restrictions on pilot flight and duty time.

  • Higher level of aircraft maintenance.

  • Legitimate operators have oversight by the FAA to ensure adherence to required safety rules.

  • Mandatory drug and alcohol testing programs.

These requirements (and more) raise the safety bar for you, the customer, far above what the rogue operators have in place. These illegal operators pose a tangible safety risk to you and your family.

Common Signs of an Illegal Charter

  • As the old saying goes, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is.

  • The absence of Federal Excise Tax (FET) charged on the quote or invoice.

  • Refusal to be transparent and open in response to your questions or concerns.

  • The requirement for you to sign a “dry lease”. FAA authorized charter operators will never ask you to sign a lease.

  • A lack of a safety briefing or passenger briefing cards.

  • If you are coached on what to say if an FAA safety inspector shows up to check the operation.

What Steps to Take to Avoid the Rogue Operator

  • Verify the legitimacy of the operator by asking to see their FAA Air Carrier or Operating certificate. If they don’t allow you to see it, consider taking your business elsewhere.

  • Pro Tip: Ask to see their list of authorized aircraft that they can fly you on. This is called a “Paragraph D085”. The operator will understand what you mean.

  • Call your local FAA office to ask about the operator.

  • Check the FAA’s Safe Air Charter Website to verify the operator and aircraft you are chartering.

Unfortunately, despite FAA and Industry partners’ outreach, awareness, and enforcement attempts to remove them, these rogue operators are still around. You, the prepared and educated passenger are truly the most feared thing to the illegal charter operator’s continued operations. Knowledge is power and by putting it to use we can all make a dent into putting these kinds of operators out of commission.

Federal Aviation Administration Safe Air Charter | faa.gov/charter