Private Jet Etiquette: Dos and Don'ts of Flying Private

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Bad behavior is on the rise in the air. As per the International Air Transport Association, 1 in every 568 flights worldwide experienced an unruly passenger incident in 2022, up from 1 in every 835 flights in 2021. While many of these were nonviolent – smoking and vaping, failing to fasten seatbelts, exceeding carry-on limits – some were much more serious, such as assaults on flight crew and terroristic threats.

For U.S. flights, the Federal Aviation Administration logged 2,455 unruly passenger reports in 2022. While this is a sharp decrease from 2021’s record of 5,973, the resulting number of enforcement actions initiated rose to 567 from 350, and total fines to $8.4 million from $5 million.

For some, the solution for smooth travel is to bypass the airlines and fly private instead. Skip the endless security lines that put everyone on edge, avoid the cattle-car feeling with a flight crew stretched thin, and journey at a convenient time – what could be better? However, flying private isn’t a behavioral free-for-all. There are some guidelines that travelers will want to keep in mind to ensure their private jet experience goes smoothly. Read on for some etiquette dos and don’ts.

Great expectations

Virtually everyone who has flown commercial has had at least some experience with first class, even just walking past spacious seats filled with passengers sipping champagne. It’s natural to use this knowledge as a basis for expectations for private air travel – after all, isn’t that the next step up?

However, travelers who want to avoid seeming like newbies will want to steer clear of this trap. Private jets vary greatly in terms of size and amenities, and some of the features that travelers expect from a commercial aircraft are extras when flying private – such as being able to stand up completely.

“Part of the issue is the way private jet travel gets represented in the media. You’re not seeing the complexity of business aviation,” says Jacquie Dalton, founder and CEO of private jet broker Sparrow Executive Jets. “Not that it’s not a luxury, but it’s a luxury of time.”

Some small jets don’t have bathrooms, although many offer at least a toilet and a basin. Larger jets can provide more options, including vanity areas with seating or dressing sections for freshening up. Private jets don’t necessarily have ovens or microwaves, or even a real kitchen area in which to prepare food.

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“On our aircraft that holds six to eight passengers, there’s no space for a flight attendant. We offer cookies, chips and sweets, not sushi or sandwiches,” says Yiannis Christodoulides, director at charter broker Zela Jet. “If you’re going with a bigger aircraft, there are more options. It depends on what you want to pay.”

Luggage capacity is another matter to consider. On commercial flights, travelers can often exceed “expected” baggage allowances by paying fees. On private jets, weight limits may restrict how much stuff you can bring along. “When we charter, we have to warn the client that this is your total weight allowance for your luggage and you,” said Julian Asher, founder and managing director of Timeless Africa, a travel specialist specializing in eco-friendly travel to remote wilderness destinations.

Want to bring your own alcohol to enjoy? That’s perfectly okay on a private jet in the U.S.– as long as the crew is serving you, rather than you serving yourself. However, an insider tip is to avoid red wine – while private jets fly at higher altitudes than most commercial flights, helping to avoid turbulence, any turbulence that occurs will likely have more of an impact on the interior of a private jet than on a larger aircraft. That bottle of Lafite Rothschild 1914 – or the bargain red blend from Trader Joe’s – will be a lot more enjoyable in a glass at home than scattered all over the jet interior and your clothes.

None of this means that you shouldn’t expect excellent customer service when flying private, but understanding and respecting the realities involved will make for a much better flight for you and the crew. Know what to expect in advance, and tailor your behavior accordingly.

Communications

When flying commercial, you can show up at an airport, check your gate information on a screen, catch up on e-mail while flight attendants read out safety information, and generally operate on (no pun intended) autopilot. When flying private, you get a more individualized experience – but one that will rely on effective communication between you and the flight crew.

Before a trip on a private jet, you will typically receive flight briefing information – what time you should be at the airport, whom you should contact with questions, which catering options might be available, and so forth. You’ll want to read over this and be aware of the details. For example, while flying private exempts you from the delights of the TSA, business airports may have slot restrictions forcing jets to take off as close to on time as possible – you don’t need to arrive two hours in advance, but 30 minutes to an hour before your flight is the best practice.

On a commercial aircraft, even the most luxurious experience is usually fairly impersonal. On a private jet, things work differently. On most flights, you’ll be greeted personally by the captain, first officer and any other crew members on board. “Flying private is about having an active relationship with the crew (if there is one) and the pilot. They’re there for you, not for another 180 people,” Christodoulides says.

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This active relationship, though, means that you as the passenger will want to pay attention to what the crew says, especially about safety – while air travel is one of the safest transportation methods available, the details you’ll want to know just in case will be more individualized on private jets than on commercial aircraft. When the flight crew mentions that drinks and meals are available, you’ll want to take a break from using the in-flight wi-fi to discuss your preferences with them, rather than staying glued to “Hijacked” until the drink cart rolls around. In general, good etiquette while flying private includes showing respect for the people working to make sure your flight goes smoothly.

“Every flight is a critical mission,” Dalton says. “The energy of the cabin, the respect for the pilots – all of that is amplified in the experience.”

Tips for pilots and the rest of the crew are not expected but are appreciated (unless prohibited by company policy). According to an overview in Forbes, private jet pilots are tipped on about 25% of flights. Charter broker FlyUSA recommends tips in the range of $30 to $50 for flight attendants and $50 to $200 for pilots, with $5 to $10 for baggage handling agents.

Host with the most

Many first-time private flyers are traveling at the invitation of someone else, often for business purposes. If you’re one of those travelers, you’ll want to be mindful of your behavior toward your host. “It’s like being invited to someone’s new house – you have to act comfortable, but it’s a bit more formal. You want to avoid making a fuss, and go with the mojo,” Christodoulides says.

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You’ll want to study up even more closely on whatever advance information you receive on the flight – especially any requests to indicate catering preferences. Unless your host is always in jeans or three-piece suits, business casual is likely the safest attire. The recommendation to avoid a last-minute arrival at the airport goes double when you’re being hosted. While there aren’t assigned seats on private jet flights, you’ll want to let your host select their seat first, then look for other available seats.

For new private jet travelers, there are bound to be surprises. As a senior executive for a retail company, Randi Sonenshein often flew private to visit store locations in smaller markets and attend investor conferences. While she enjoyed the convenience and speed of private jet travel, other aspects required a bit more adjustment. “Some planes were too small to have flight attendants, so one of the pilots would come out of the cockpit to serve us food,” she says. “It took some getting used to.”

Fly the Mannerly Skies

Certainly, private jet pilots and crews have stories of passengers who totally ignored all the unwritten rules of the air…but not as many as you may think. In a recent Reddit Ask Me Anything, a verified private jet pilot was asked to discuss the “craziest thing” he had observed on a private flight. “[While] a lot of people assume the back of a private jet is a place of debauchery, honestly, 99.9% of the time it is boring,” he replied.

Ideally, your private jet flight will be one of the 99.9%. Keep your expectations realistic, maintain ongoing communication with the flight crew, respect your host, and focus on the many advantages of private jet travel, and your skies should be friendly.