As I've mentioned before, the most important aspect of any flight is, obviously, safety. For most of our clients, the second most important aspect of any charter flight is cost. One way to achieve the lowest possible cost is to find an operator who is flying an “empty leg” that suits your itinerary.
What’s an “empty leg?” In most cases, when a private flyer books a charter for a trip that includes a stay at his destination of more than a couple of days, upon completing the outbound leg, the charter operator will fly the aircraft back to its home base, and then back again to pick up the flyer for his return flight. In so doing, the charter operator will charge the flyer for two round trip flights. However, the aircraft will be flying empty on two of the legs. In such a circumstance, the charter operator may be willing to charter these “empty legs” at a very favorable price.
Sounds good, right? How can you find an empty leg that’ll work for you? Here are a few tips:
- Flexibility is the Key. The more flexible you are, the more likely you are to find an empty leg. Be willing to depart at any time of day, or over a couple of days, and be willing to fly out of as many airports as possible. Also, be flexible as to the type of aircraft you’ll fly on. If necessary, accept a fuel stop in order that smaller aircraft can be included in your search.
- Do the Legwork. The more in depth your search, the more likely you are to be successful. Check with as many reputable operators as possible.
- Accept Uncertainty. Most operators don’t know whether they’re going to have an empty leg until a week or so before the flight, because that’s when most charter flights are firmly booked. Thus, get comfortable with the fact that you may not know whether an empty leg is available until the last minute.
- Make Sure Your Booking is Firm. Once you book the flight you’re entitled to know that the booking is firm and that the price will be honored by the operator. On the flip side, make sure you understand the cancellation policy in case your plans change.
- Safety Remains Your First Concern. Your flexibility in flying on the operator’s schedule is what gets you the lower price, not compromising safety. Insist upon satisfactory answers to the safety questions we discussed in our last post.
If you’d like to find an empty leg, but still want to fly your trip privately if you can’t find one, Shaircraft can help. We’ll book a charter flight for you while at the same time searching for an empty leg. That way, you have all your bases covered.
When we book a charter, our goal is to find you the best price for your flight with an experienced operator on a well maintained and appropriately equipped aircraft flown by top notch pilots, all with a spotless safety record.
