How to check a charter operator before you book

Start with one question: who has operational control?

In US charter, the company that sells you a trip and the company that flies it are often different businesses. A broker arranges the flight; a certificated air carrier operates it. Under FAA rules, the operator with operational control is responsible for the aircraft, the crew, the maintenance and every decision about whether, when and how the flight goes ahead.

So the first thing to ask of any quote is simple: which company holds operational control of this flight, and under which certificate? A good quote answers that before you ask. If the operator's name appears only after you pay, or the answer is vague, such as "one of our partner operators", treat that as a reason to wait rather than a detail to sort out later.

Brokers in the United States work under Department of Transportation rules for air charter brokers, which include saying clearly that they are brokers and not carriers. That disclosure is useful, but it is where the checking starts, not where it ends.

The five records worth asking for

You do not need to be an aviation lawyer to check an operator. Five records cover most of what matters, and a reputable broker or operator can provide each of them without fuss.

Read the certificate the right way

A valid certificate is necessary but not sufficient. What you want to know is whether the specific aircraft on your quote is operated under that certificate. Operators list their authorised aircraft in their operations specifications. If the tail number on your quote is not on that list, the flight may not be a legal charter at all, whatever the paperwork says.

This matters because of what the FAA calls illegal charter: an aircraft flown for hire under the private-flying rules of Part 91, which do not carry the same requirements for crew training, maintenance and oversight as Part 135. The signs are usually easy to spot once you know them:

• The seller cannot or will not name the operator before payment.
• You are told the trip is a "private" or "shared cost" flight among friends, even though you are paying for it.
• The pilot is arranging the trip personally and is described as a freelancer.
• Payment is requested to an individual rather than to the operator or an established broker.

What the insurance certificate should show

Ask for a certificate of insurance and read three lines on it. The named insured should be the operating carrier, not only the aircraft owner or the broker. The policy period should cover your travel dates. And the liability limit should suit the size of aircraft and number of passengers; larger aircraft typically carry higher limits. If the certificate lists a different aircraft or an expired period, ask for the current one before you sign.

Audits: a useful signal, not a guarantee

Third-party audits from ARGUS, Wyvern and IS-BAO go beyond the FAA minimum. They are voluntary, so a missing audit is not proof of a problem, particularly for smaller operators. But a current audit tells you an outside organisation has looked at the operator's safety management, training and records recently. Check the date, and make sure the rating belongs to the operator flying you rather than a sister company. Our guide to ARGUS, Wyvern and IS-BAO explains each programme and its levels.

Six questions to ask before you sign

1. Which company has operational control of this flight, and what is its certificate number?
2. Is this tail number listed on that operator's operations specifications?
3. Can you send the current certificate of insurance?
4. Does the operator hold an ARGUS, Wyvern or IS-BAO audit, and when was it last renewed?
5. How many pilots will fly, and how is a long duty day covered?
6. If this aircraft becomes unavailable, what replaces it, and can I decline a substitute?

None of these questions is unusual. Operators answer them every day, and the speed and clarity of the answers tells you a good deal on its own.

When to pause

Most charter trips are arranged by careful people and go exactly as planned. Still, a few situations justify slowing down: a price far below comparable quotes for the same category and dates, an aircraft that changes without explanation between quote and contract, pressure to decide within minutes, or a request to pay by wire to a personal account. A day's delay costs little next to a trip with the wrong operator.

How we handle it

Every option we send shows the operator, the aircraft type and its audit status, and the charter agreement names the operator in operational control before you pay. If you would like to see the certificate details or the certificate of insurance, ask your advisor and we will send them before you sign. The full standard we apply is on How we vet operators, along with a checklist you can use on any quote.