Corporate Jets Tips
Read these 17 Corporate Jets Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Private Aircraft Charter tips and hundreds of other topics.
Corporate Jets Are Cost Efficient
The lure of corporate jets goes beyond comfort and convenience. In some cases, corporate jets are more cost efficient for a company. For instance, a company might buy a one-sixteenth share in a seven-passenger Cessna Citation V Ultra for a one-time fee of $375,000, pay a monthly management fee of $5,225 and pay an hourly rate of $1,318 for the 50 hours of flying it is entitled to in a year. Sounds pricey, perhaps, but after the one-time fee, the company's hourly cost to use the plane is around $2,500. Flying four people on a trip to three cities in a day would not only save time, but might also be cheaper than flying first class on a commercial jet.
What's the biggest advantage to private business air charter? Time. Many busy business executives use private jet companies to save time, and travel expenses, in the event of last minute travel. Private jet charter companies offer access to hundreds of airports with a wide variety of aircraft to choose from. If your traveling with a large party, small business air charter can work with you to fulfill your traveling needs.
Popular Corporate Jets on the Market
The Beechjet 440A is one choice for air charter travelers looking for a light, fast corporate jet. This jet has a flying range of 1,180 statue miles, seats up to seven people and has storage for 55 cubic feet of cargo. This jet is in use by charters because of its economic value. Travelers like the Beechjet because of its cost, usually around $1,750 an hour. But don't that being small means sacrificing your comfort. With wood trim, leather seats and fold out tables, the Beechjet can hold it's own against the big boys of luxury. This little jet is also the choice of the U.S Air Force as a trainer aircraft.
The Raytheon Hawker 400XP is another popular light-weight corporate jet, and is one of the fastest corporate jets in its category. With a flying range of 1,500 miles, you can fly non-stop from New York to Miami, Chicago to Houston, and Los Angeles to Seattle. With its performance and interior configuration, the Hawker 400XP offers impressive value in the entry-level jet category. Compared to other business jets in its class, the Hawker 400XP provides more head room and shoulder room. The cabin also offers a flat floor, (where other jets have their seats raised onto risers running along the length of the jet) making it easier for passengers to move around the cabin and relax in comfort.
Charter a Business Jet on Short Notice
Does this sound familiar? You receive a call around 4:00 p.m. advising you that a critical business meeting in Dallas needs to be rescheduled for 11:00 a.m. the following morning. No commercial flights are available to get you where you must be on time. Now what?
One of the advantages of a private business jet charter arranged through one of the best companies is that you'll be able to schedule your business travel when you need it. Typically, short notice charter corporate jet requests should not be a problem for you. While charter operators make every effort to satisfy your short term request, top air charter brokers, since they often have access to larger numbers of aircraft, can often provide the business jet you want when you want it – even on very short notice.
Your charter broker is dedicated to working for you and providing the extremely high level of customer service you've come to expect in the rest of your professional life. You can relax, enjoy a comfortable, fast, and efficient flight. With access to almost 5,000 available airports, you can typically arrive very close to your intended destination when you need to be there. Short notice = no problem.
Compare Charter Corporate Jet Companies Using the Internet
Most of your needs for a business jet charter can be managed through the Internet. You can perform a thorough examination of aircraft, flight services, company reputations, and flight costs for most of the top charter corporate jet providers in the market. You can then compare these aircraft, flight services, concierge services, and trip costs.
Testimonials can help reinforce your confidence in charter companies offering private business jets for your corporate travel needs. Those that have previously used charter corporate jet services and are enthusiastic about their experience can often give you some insight on the level of service you can expect.
Whether you're an experienced business jet user and have one or more favorite aircraft, or a relative new charter flier, using the Internet can be helpful to you. For example, if you're partial to the Boeing business jet, you can locate the air charter brokers that offer this aircraft. On the other hand, if you're unsure of the private business jets that fit your criteria, using the ‘Net to examine the choices offered may help you decide on the right aircraft and the best charter broker for your needs.
Advantages of Fractional Jet Ownership and Air Charters for Business Travel
The debate regarding full business jet ownership versus air charters is not really an issue. These subjects are very different and are typically determined by frequency of use and personal (or corporate) preference. However, discussing fractional ownership (similar to time sharing) of private business jets or using on-demand air charters is a more focused discussion.
Fractional ownership has some of the advantages of being an aircraft owner versus a “renter,” but also has some issues not found with business jet charters. While you may not be directly responsible for aircraft maintenance, the related fees will be due for this obvious requirement. Also, should you have a definite preference for a specific business jet, your choice may or may not be available when you need it.
If you charter corporate jet aircraft from a company or broker with access to the model(s) you prefer, your corporate travel experience could be more pleasant. Top air charter brokers, like Blue Star Jets, can often give you a wider selection of aircraft choices. For example, although you may normally use light jets, like Lear or Citation, you might need a helicopter on occasion. Your charter broker can often make successful arrangements quickly for this aircraft. A fractional ownership program may or may not be able to provide the same diversity of service.
Corporate Jets And Transfer Privileges
When chartering a corporate jet, flexibility is the key to finding the right service for you. One kind of flexibility in business jet charter services is unlimited transferability, the service you will find at the very best charter companies. Another service that should go hand-in-hand with that transferability is the pricing for round-trip and one-way travel. Make sure your business jet charter membership program offers you a price break on one-way travel rather than charging you the full round-trip price. The "justification" for charging the full rate is that the aircraft must fly back whether or not you are on it, but the common practice of allowing passengers to book travel on these "empty legs" flights should earn you a discount for the one-way trip.
High Speed Business Travel
When making arrangements for high-speed business jet travel, remember that speed and range should be factored together. Your aircraft may fly fast, but if it can't fly as far as you need it to go, you will face either a layover for refueling, or the need to choose a different jet. Your business jet agent will help you choose the most efficient aircraft based on your needs, but it's beneficial to decide ahead of time whether you wish to spend additional time for a refueling layover, or if you wish to sacrifice a bit of speed to get where you're going directly. Speed is ultimately the total time it takes to reach your destination, including any stopovers.
Major Airlines Bid for Share of Corporate Jet Market
Major airlines are bidding for a piece of the corporate jet market. United Airlines, the second largest airline in the country, is working hard to win back their first class customers by taking a different approach to the corporate jet industry. Over the last several years, service in the airlines business has been on a steady decline. Compounded by longer lines at ticket and screening stations, the major airline carriers have been driving travelers to private jet service for their travel. According to United Airlines executives, the airline giant plans to launch 200 private corporate jets that seat six to 14 travelers over the next five years. United's strategy is to offer fractional ownership in the aircraft rather than selling tickets for seats. This means customers will purchase a piece of the plane and that "ownership" will allow them travel rights as specified in the contract, granting greater freedom of travel and scheduling.
Major Aircraft Company Leading the Way in Business Class Jets
Over the past decade, the Boeing Company has been working to design a new class of aircraft for the business traveler. The Boeing Business Jet consists of the wide-bodied 787-8, the 787-9, and the 747-8. Offering 2,404 and 4,786 sq. ft. of cabin space, it's about the size of a fair sized apartment in the sky. These reliable aircraft are completely customized to fit the tastes and requirements of their owners. Who is buying Boeing Business Jets? Private individuals comprise 43 percent of the Boeing Business Jet customer base. About 35 percent are government heads of state including The President of the United States. Twelve percent are corporate operators and the remaining 10 percent are charter services.
Why Use Business Air Charter?
One major benefit to using a corporate jet lies in getting your employees to important meetings and back without the need to stay overnight. With a business jet shuttle flight you can make the meeting and return within a reasonable amount of time, on your schedule; no waiting for the next available flight home, no lost luggage, and no hassles with missed connections. No overnight stay means extra funds for your travel budget, but should you need to spend the night, the travel expert with your charter service can make all the arrangements, leaving you free to concentrate on the purpose of your trip.
Ushering in a New Era of Supersonic Jet Aircraft Tailored to Air Charter
In today's busy world, the demand for even faster ways of getting things done is greater than ever before. To stay on target with the changing world where less and less time can be afforded on travel or travel delays, the aircraft charter industry is staying ahead of pace with the supersonic business jet.
Imagine a small personal jet going twice the speed of sound, able to land almost anywhere and is always ready to fly in a moments notice. If you can imagine it, it might happen. Government agencies are working hard to make this aircraft possible. One hurdle facing the project is the sonic boom created and the regulations on noise. It was this problem that pushed the Concord Jet to an early grave. As it is now, no plane may create a sonic boom over land. But through advanced engineering and research, the company hopes to solve the problem and with a little help from the FAA. What makes this project so attractive to investors and engineers alike is the new wing design. According to Aerospace Pioneer Richard Tracey, this new design solves some airflow flaws created with conventional wing designs.
Corporate Jets And Transfer Privileges
One of the major disadvantages of booking travel on commercial airlines is that you can't transfer the ticket. If you need to send a replacement representative, handing them another person's ticket is simply not allowed. When booking a business air charter flight, charter companies allow you to send anyone you designate, and fly the number of passengers according to your needs and the seats available on the aircraft. When choosing a business charter jet service, inquire into the company's policies for both passengers and your skycard membership plans to ensure one membership card can be used by all the travelers you designate. Some companies have no stated policy on their websites, or don't address the issue directly. The preferred companies inform you fully as to your choices available for flights, passengers, itineraries and other travel details.
High Speed Business Travel
If you need top speed mode of travel, consider chartering a medium or super-medium class jet. The fastest of these is the Citation X, made by Cessna, which is the number four fastest civilian aircraft in the air. Your need for speed may be justified but your ever-changing corporate schedule, but keep in mind that medium and super medium sized jets have a capacity for only between seven and 10 passengers, depending on the aircraft. If you need to move more than ten people in a hurry, you should consider using the heavy-class Boeing Business jet, which carries up to 23 at speeds that compare with medium jets. If you need to move fewer than ten people, the light-class Lear A/35 compares favorably to medium-size jets for speed, but the range of this aircraft is limited to just over 1,500 miles.
Save Money Using an “Empty Leg” Flight for a Business Jet Charter
"Empty leg" is a wonderfully descriptive term and perfectly describes reality. Booking a business jet charter on an empty leg flight can also save you and your company a great deal of money. Here's how it works and why it can put money in your corporate travel pocket and budget.
A business executive has an important meeting in Chicago, but also has to stay in town for a few days. She books a one-way charter corporate jet trip to the Windy City. But the aircraft must get back to Boston later that day to pick up another executive who has booked it for his business travel to Miami that evening. There is a 1,500 mile trip – empty leg – from Chicago to Boston. The business jet will be burning fuel, logging pilot time, and engine hours with no passengers. The aircraft owner has little opportunity to generate any gross income from this flight.
But, if you've just concluded your successful business deal in Chicago and need to return to Boston as soon as feasible, you might be in a perfect situation to save 25% to 50% on the cost of a normal business jet charter. The aircraft and its crew are making the trip regardless of your business meeting conditions or availabillity. Using one of the top air charter brokers to book what is your return trip on this charter corporate jet on its empty leg might save you and your grateful employer significant dollars. And you'll get home safely – and just as luxuriously – at a fraction of the normal cost.
Charter Corporate Jet Use vs. Fractional Jet Ownership
Naturally there are advantages of both charter corporate jet programs and fractional jet ownership. While many business executives believe they can manage their corporate travel needs with partial ownership of a business jet, there are advantages to business jet charter programs that may be more attractive. Some of these advantages are at times overlooked or misunderstood.
For example, you are sometimes bound by an eight-hour notice to access your fractionally-owned aircraft, but you can typically arrange a charter corporate jet flight in less than three hours. This short notice availability might be critical at various times during your business travel year. You might have first assumed that as an “owner” you'd have faster access to your business jet.
Another commonly misunderstood business jet charter advantage is cost. At first glance, it might appear somewhat more costly, on a per-flight basis, to charter private business jets than to own one. But, many people momentarily forget the ongoing cost of maintenance, airport fees, and insurance necessary for ownership.
These two factors alone may provide the level of advantage you need to select business jet charter services instead of fractional or full ownership of an aircraft.
Some Hidden Benefits of Using Business Jet Charters
Most experienced business travel veterans are aware of the wonderful benefits of using air charter service. The elimination of airport delays, long security lines, embarrassing requests to remove shoes and other articles of clothing, and inconvenient flight times are all major benefits of corporate travel via business jet charter.
Yet, there are some benefits that are lesser know but, often, just as important to business persons. Asking yourself a few questions may illustrate some of these features.
- Am I comfortable discussing sensitive business issues in the presence of many strangers? Even flying first class does not solve this annoying problem.
- Am I really comfortable having many others know my flight schedule? Many executives feel much more secure when their itinerary is not public information.
- Do I sleep well in a commercial airline seat on a longer night flight? Chartering a business jet with one or more beds can make a huge difference in your demeanor at a critical business appointment or meeting.
- Have I ever had what appeared to be “perfect” timing and connections on a commercial flight that were destroyed by circumstances beyond my control? All frequent business travel veterans already know this answer.
- Does fine china and crystal make commercial airline meals (if you can get them) taste better? Even the most experienced first class corporate travel executive normally has a quick, negative answer to this question.
Why Use Business Air Charter?
Using business air charter gets your employees to meetings and back without wasting time in transit, airpot transfers, stop-overs, scheduling delays, plus saves money on hotels and eliminates the need for rental cars thanks to the option to use limousine travel to and from your airplane. A quick business trip to and from a meeting can be done quite efficiently, and your company's new flexibility in scheduling can be quite impressive to your business associates. Your business air charter has all the details regarding limo service, but if you do need to stay overnight and get rental cars, let the agent know so they can take care of all the arrangements as part of your business air charter.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D. |
