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The risks of flying on an illegal private jet charter are significant.

Why does it matter if your charter flight is operated by a Civil Aviation authorized air carrier or equivalent? All aircraft operators are the same, right? Wrong.

Illegal charters are operated by an entity that is not an authorized air carrier or equivalent. One of the greatest risks of illegal charter to both the passengers and the aircraft owner is the potential loss of insurance coverage. Imagine having no insurance coverage for an aircraft flight! Aircraft insurance policies often include a clause that nullifies the aircraft and liability insurance if the aircraft is operated in violation of the policy provisions which describe the aircraft use. Violation of this clause could completely invalidate the policy’s coverage, leaving the passengers unprotected!

According to the USA based National Air Transportation Association (NATA), other risks of illegal charters include:

Oversight – Civil Aviation authorities have much more oversight of a legal charter operator compared to an illegal operator. This oversight creates a safer, more secure operation.

So how do you determine if a private jet is legal to charter? 

That is where Latitude Air Charters will come in, we already have our preferred partner aircraft and are constantly updating our selection and choice.

However, for those who have begun their search independently, if the charter pricing sounds too good to be true, it probably is. According to the NATA, “legal operators incur relatively high overhead costs to maintain the aircraft, train and test crewmembers, and stay compliant with Civil Aviation regulations. Illegal operators are able to offer significantly lower prices, but at much greater risk.”

Accountability – Civil Aviation Authorities hold legal air carriers to a very high standard and have the ability to hold the operation accountable for their actions or omissions.

Training – Pilots of a legal charter operator engage in mandatory, recurring training. Pilots of illegal operations are subjected to less stringent training requirements.

Maintenance – Aircraft used in a legal charter operation must be maintained to strict standards, and only highly trained maintenance personnel may perform maintenance on these aircraft.

Drug and Alcohol Testing – Pilots and mechanics for legal charter operators must undergo pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing. Illegal operators typically do not test their employees at all.

Experience – Legal charter operators require their pilots to have a relatively high level of experience. Specifically, pilots must have at least 1,200 hours of total flight time. Illegal operators do not have to follow these same standards.

Insurance Coverage – In addition to the possible loss of insurance coverage mentioned above, Civil Aviaiton authorities require a minimum level of insurance coverage in order to obtain an air carrier certificate. Illegal operators may not have adequate insurance to cover injuries or loss of life or property in the case of an accident.

Aircraft charter is a fantastic alternative for many businesses and individuals, but doing it safely and legally is in the best interest of the industry and its customers. Give Latitude Air Charters a call or send us a request, we look forward to managing your Caribbean Jet Charter needs. Book your Private Aircraft Charter Today!