Sometimes your assistant (or even yourself) might feel a little flustered when chartering a private jet. After all, you want the best – the best value, the best aircraft, the best service, safety, company, experience, and more!
But when everyone is claiming to be the best, where do you start?
You start with these 5 questions and things to look for. Because a little research can go a long way in giving you (or your assistant) the peace of mind you deserve for your next private flight experience.
1. Look at the Reviews
This might seem so simple it’s unnecessary, but in reality, only two main types of people leave reviews – those that are extremely happy with the service, and those that are extremely disappointed.
Though this isn’t a science, a company with many good reviews probably offers great service, a company with many poor reviews probably offers relatively poor service, and a company with very few reviews, probably offers unspectacular, or ‘average’ service.
Of course, there are other options that can affect reviews, and there will always be anomalies, but being able to hear from others about their experience is a great first step when you are considering chartering a jet from a company you do not yet know.
Ask About Satisfaction Guarantees
Having a phone, email, or even a face-to-face meeting? Ask your private jet charter company about their satisfaction guarantees, their reviews, and their loyal customers.
Sometimes just coming right out and asking is the best way to get clear answers, and you should never feel shy or embarrassed for asking a company about their caliber of services.
2. Look at the Pricing
No, we don’t actually mean you should look at the numbers (though that can also be a good indication of if the company is worthy of your business or not). What we actually mean is, are you able to see their pricing?
Are they willing to quote you? Is this quote backed by anything or just a ‘guess’ by them? How open are they with you about their pricing and how variable it might be?
Working with a company that communicates clearly and transparently is important, especially when it comes to such luxury businesses like private aircraft.
Ask About Clarity
It is absolutely okay for you, or your assistant, to ask about pricing, flexibility, or ask any clarifying questions about their fees. In fact, any company that seems surprised or wary of you asking completely normal and valid pricing questions is probably not very upstanding or transparent.
We think that flying should be easy, seamless, and luxurious, and that doesn’t start once you’re in the air. We think that the uncomplicated, seamless process should begin right when you call us, and that’s why we will happily (and clearly) give you a breakdown of any numbers you want to know.
3. Look for a Safety Page
Does the company explicitly talk about their safety measures, practices, standards, and codes?
This answer should always be ‘yes’. Because no matter how grand the company seems, or how great their service or pricing is, safety should always be your (and their) number one priority.
And though all companies have some measure of safety standards, you should be made aware of these standards in a meeting, through written communication, or through their direct webpage.
Any company that seems less-than-forthcoming about its safety standards and practices isn’t a company you want to fly with.
Ask About Safety Concerns
If you are made aware of a private jet chartering company’s safety standards, but still have questions – that’s okay!
You should be able to ask about any and all safety concerns you have and have them answered clearly, quickly, and honestly.
Some people are incredibly comfortable with flying privately, others are not, but most of us fall somewhere in between. Choosing a private jet company that puts safety first is the best way to ease the potential stress of flying on a smaller aircraft.
4. Look at the Perks
What benefits, perks or advantages does your private jet charter provide? Do they offer a loyalty program, jet card, or free available upgrades? Are they full-service and On Demand? Are they willing to go above and beyond to meet your every need?
If the answers to any of the above questions aren’t satisfactory, and again, clearly laid out for you, then maybe you should take your business to a company that appreciates you and treats you as such.
For example, Vault Jet is full-service (meaning you don’t have to call multiple companies to get to your end destination) and On Demand (meaning we will take you wherever you want, whenever you want, on whatever jet you want, with whichever amenities you want, and whoever you want).
We also offer special perks for our MAX Jet Card members, such as;
- Access to all cabin classes
- Fixed hourly maximums so you’ll never be surprised by a higher price
- Free cabin upgrades when available
- No blackout dates
- No membership fees
- Guaranteed availability
- Guaranteed mechanical recovery
- Funds that never expire
- Fully refundable balances for any funds you don’t use
Now that’s what we call some serious benefits.
Ask About Membership or Card Benefits
If you can’t find any benefits or membership/card perks in the company’s information or on their website – it might be time to continue your research elsewhere. But it can’t hurt to ask the question anyway.
Though we doubt any company would keep their benefits hidden or difficult to find, asking about what they can offer you is a fast and sure way to get all the information without having to search through their webpage or their brochures.
Of course, now that you’ve seen the many advantages of Vault Jet’s MAX Card, the other companies have a tall order to beat.
5. Look for a Thought Leader
This is something that many private jet companies fail to see the value in – sharing their knowledge with their clients and industry.
Vault Aviation has years of experience as well as a rich history in the industry. But we don’t want to keep all of our expertise and knowledge to ourselves.
Instead, we want to be your trusted go-to source for information on all things dealing with private jet charters, private aircraft, or popular destinations. That’s why we do exactly what we’ve done above – write and publish educational articles to help your next private flight experience be the very best it can be.
Ask About Experience & History
Hopefully, your potential private jet chartering company will have an ‘about us’ section to help you understand their company, but if they don’t, ask about their experience, their expertise, and their history.
There is nothing wrong with wanting the backstory of the company you will be flying with, especially if you hope to stick with that company for many flights and avoid doing all this research again and again.
Learn about what makes their company unique, what their story is, and what’s important to them? Do they work with any charitable organizations? Do they have a passion for a particular area? And who comprises their team? What experience do they have?
Our co-founders Weston Hull and Paul Taskalos not only manage the day-to-day of Vault Aviation, but also still work in private jet charter sales, and continue to find the best options for our clients year after year.
Together with Katie Cowan and Dustin Easterling, the Vault Aviation team has years of experience both in sales and management, making us the perfect mix of knowledge and passion.
Ask Us Anything, Vault Aviation is Here to Serve You
If you want to put us to the test against your current private jet chartering company, then give us a call today. We know we’ll surpass your expectations.