Frequently Asked Questions
What hours are aircraft charters available?
FLY12’s dispatch office is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for your convenience. We are always here to serve so you can fly wherever you want, whenever you want.
How much does it cost to charter an aircraft for my trip?
The cost of any charter is based on multiple different factors. Several of those include:
- The type aircraft requested or required for the trip, for example a propeller airplane vs. a jet.
- Whether the trip is a one way or a roundtrip flight.
- If the trip requires overnights for the crew and aircraft.
When you contact us with pricing questions, we will gather information from you that will help us build a custom quote for your trip.
What happens if the weather is bad on the day my charter is scheduled?
Sometimes natural unforeseen circumstances have a way of changing our plans. These can come in the form of high winds, thunderstorms, fog, turbulence, hurricanes, and blizzards. Our highly experienced flight crews and management team will work diligently to make every flight go as scheduled, but our number one concern is always the safety and comfort of our customers. With that philosophy at the forefront of our operating procedures, some charter flights may be cancelled or delayed until it is safe to make the flight. We monitor weather on an hourly, daily and weekly basis. We will do our best to notify you as far in advance as possible if we are anticipating any weather-related delays pertaining to your flight.
How does the booking process work for a charter flight?
Once you contact us for a quote on your trip, we will gather all of the information necessary to create a custom quote. You will have a chance to review the quote, make changes, or ask questions. When you decide to go ahead and book the flight, we will confirm the aircraft and flight crew availability to continue the booking process. We will require a deposit of 50% of the quote to book and confirm the trip. The remaining 50% of the quoted price will be due 24 hours before the scheduled trip departure.
Can I change my trip itinerary or schedule after I book my trip?
Absolutely. Our flight schedulers will work with the flight crew to make any trip changes that you may have before or during your trip. If a change arises you can notify the flight crew or flight scheduler of your desired change, and we will make the necessary arrangements.
Can I charter an aircraft to any airport?
There are over 5,000 airports open to the public in the United States, as compared to just about 500 served by commercial airlines. There is a very good chance that there is a suitable airport closer to your actual destination than an airport served by a commercial airline. We can land at a commercial airport as well if it is the closest airport to your actual destination.
Who are our charter customers?
We have a wide range of customers that vary from individuals flying for leisure, to large corporations flying executives to meetings. We also serve manufacturing companies that ship parts from one location to another, as well as charitable organizations.
Are there any limitations on what luggage I can bring?
Each of our aircraft have different luggage weight and dimension allowances. Once you select the aircraft for your trip, we can provide more exact limitations on baggage for that aircraft. Generally soft, smaller duffle type bags are the best for small to midsized aircraft.
I am interested in chartering a flight for a hunting trip. Can I bring hunting firearms on a charter flight?
We can accommodate firearms for hunting purposes. Advise your flight scheduler that you would like to bring firearms on the flight, and we will provide more information about policies and procedures for carrying hunting firearms and ammunition on our aircraft.
If I book a charter flight, can you arrange rental car, car service, hotel, etc. for my destination?
Absolutely. Just pass along any requests that you have for your destination to your flight scheduler and we will take care of them for you to make your entire trip seamless and worry free for you.
Can I have food and beverages on my charter flight?
All our aircraft are stocked with a variety of snacks, soft drinks, and water. We can arrange any desired catering or drinks (including alcohol). Just advise your flight scheduler what catering and/or drinks you desire, and we will make arrangements for them to be on the aircraft. You are also welcomed to bring snacks, food, and drinks onboard the aircraft. Federal regulations allow us to serve alcohol to passengers onboard our aircraft, but regulations prohibit you from bringing your own alcohol onboard.
Can children fly on a chartered aircraft?
Children of all ages are welcome to fly on our aircraft. Federal regulations allow for a child that has not yet reached his/her 2nd birthday to fly on the lap of an adult passenger. Children 2 years old or older that are required to be in a car seat or booster seat will be required to be seated in a seat that has the following labels on it.
“This child restraint system conforms to all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards”
and
“This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft”
How do I decide what aircraft is right for me to charter?
Based on the information you provide to your flight scheduler, we will make a recommendation for which one of our aircraft we think best fits your trip needs. We will also provide you with information on other suitable aircraft in our fleet, and let you decide which aircraft you would like to book.
What documentation do I need to board my charter flight?
For domestic travel within the United States, and when required based on the aircraft, you will be required to present photo identification to the flight crew before boarding the aircraft. If you are traveling internationally you will be required to present a passport and, in some cases other documentation depending on the country you are traveling to.
Once I decide to book a charter flight, how can I pay for it?
We accept all major credit cards, ACH payments, and wire transfers. We require a deposit of 50% of your quote at the time of booking and the remaining quoted balance 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure for your flight.
Is there a cancellation fee if I decide to cancel my flight?
We will collect a deposit of 50% of the quoted price of the trip at the time of booking. If you cancel 7 days before the flight, we will refund all but $500 or 1%, whichever is higher. If you cancel your trip less than 7 days before your flight but more than 48 hours, we will refund all but $2,000 or 2.5%, whichever is higher. If you cancel your trip less than 48 hours before the scheduled departure, we will not refund the 50% deposit. If we cancel a trip due to weather or mechanical issues, we will refund the entire amount collected up to that point, unless there are any actual expenses incurred on our part based on your requests.
Could my final aircraft charter cost end up being more or less than the quote I receive?
Yes. We strive to accurately quote the cost of the trip. There are many unforeseen circumstances that can arise that could change the cost of the trip such as weather, air traffic delays, airport fees, etc. At the end of the trip we will send you a final invoice showing extra charges or credits that are the result of the actual trip costs. We will then collect the extra charges balance or refund you the difference from the quoted price.
Can I fly with my pet?
We are a pet friendly company. However, we do not allow aggressive dog breeds onboard our aircraft for the safety of our flight crew, employees and passengers.
How safe is flying on a chartered aircraft?
Flying on a charter aircraft is very safe. We follow strict FAA regulations and have close oversight from the FAA. We follow many of the same regulations as the large commercial airlines when it comes to aircraft maintenance, pilot training, and daily operations. In many cases our pilots have more flight time than most of the pilots at the airlines. All our pilots receive recurrent training and testing each year in each type of aircraft that they are qualified to fly.
Who owns the aircraft I will be flying on?
We own some of the aircraft that we offer for charter. We also lease aircraft from some of our aircraft owner customers. We always have full control of these aircrafts and we are responsible for all maintenance etc. performed on these aircraft. They are maintained to the same strict requirements as all our other aircraft available for charter.
When I book a charter flight, can I book just one seat?
No. Unlike commercial airline flights, when you book a charter flight, you are booking the entire aircraft.
Do I have to go through TSA security screening before I board a charter flight?
No. We make every effort to ensure the security of our flights. Based on the aircraft, we will do a check against the TSA no-fly list on all passengers before boarding is allowed. We will send you information on hazardous materials before your trip to ensure that you do not carry hazardous materials onboard the aircraft. All passengers will be required to sign an acknowledgement form stating they received this information before the trip can be released.
If I want to buy an aircraft. Can you help me with this process?
Yes. We have years of experience with a wide range of aircraft, from small personal training aircraft, to larger corporate jets. We will meet with you to gather information such as travel needs, budget, number of passengers, frequency of travel, etc. Once we gather this information, we will develop a presentation of aircraft types, including mission capabilities and approximate costs of ownership. From there we will take care of all aspects of the acquisition process. Contact us for more information.
I own my own aircraft and would like to get more utilization out of it. Can you help me?
Absolutely. We can tailor a custom management and possible lease back option to place your aircraft in our charter fleet. Contact us for more information.
Do you offer a customer referral program?
We value all customers and really appreciate when an existing customer refers a new customer to us. We offer a monetary credit to your account if you refer a new customer to us and they use our services for a charter flight, aircraft brokerage, or aircraft management.
Should I use a broker for the acquisition of an aircraft?
Considering the amount of money spent on acquiring an aircraft, it makes sense that you would want a knowledgeable person helping you through this difficult process. A broker will be able to provide you with a wealth of knowledge about different types of aircraft. Our brokers have many years of experience with a wide variety of aircraft. We can find the perfect aircraft for you that will meet your travel needs and budget. Once that aircraft is found the real work begins. There is a lot to be done with negotiating the price, overseeing a pre-buy inspection, repairs, not to mention all the paperwork with the FAA. We have relationships with banks and aircraft title companies to help streamline the purchasing process.
What is aircraft management?
Aircraft management can mean a lot of different things to different people. Here at FLY12 it means a hassle-free way to own and operate an aircraft. We can custom tailor a management plan that meets your specific needs. Our full-service management program will take care of everything. From cleaning and maintenance to crew scheduling, when you want to fly just make one call to us and show up at your chosen departure time. We take care of everything! Call us today and fly like a pro.