{"id":57727,"date":"2015-11-17T16:20:59","date_gmt":"2015-11-17T16:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stratosjets.com\/?p=57727"},"modified":"2023-11-24T16:00:08","modified_gmt":"2023-11-24T16:00:08","slug":"private-jet-charter-safety-why-not-to-book-on-price-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stratosjets.com\/blog\/private-jet-charter-safety-why-not-to-book-on-price-alone\/","title":{"rendered":"Private Jet Charter Safety: Why Not to Book on Price Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"

What if the next time you stepped on a jet, you had no doubt everything possible had been done to ensure your safety on that flight? In an era of what we call \u2018Jet Marts,\u2019 our agents sometimes get calls from potential clients saying they\u2019ve got another quote, and it\u2019s cheaper. That\u2019s usually when we explain that vendor or that aircraft might not be a safe choice, because when it comes to private jet charter safety, we want our clients to know when they step on a jet, we\u2019ve recommended it because it\u2019s safe, not because it\u2019s cheap.<\/p>\n

What happens when you book private jets based on price alone?<\/h2>\n

It leads to unsafe flying.<\/h3>\n

1. Unsafe operators.<\/h4>\n

Low-cost charter brokers can offer greatly reduced prices by ignoring critical safety and maintenance regulations required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department\u2028of Transportation (DOT). There\u2019s a real risk that this kind of broker won\u2019t perform due diligence for safety.<\/p>\n

2. Unsafe aircraft.<\/h4>\n

By focusing on price<\/a>, bargain basement brokers don\u2019t always consider how they can reduce your risk by choosing the most appropriate aircraft for the route and\/or conditions. For example, when a man was trying to fly his son\u2019s family home during a severe snowstorm because their commercial flight had been cancelled, he told us he\u2019d been given a much lower quote for a Piper Saratoga, and he was going to book that option. When we saw the AIRMET ZULU (An icy weather advisory) for that region at lower altitudes, we told them how icing affects an aircraft\u2019s ability to generate lift, and how it would be safest to wait out the storm instead of putting his son\u2019s family at risk. In the end, he booked a Citation CJ3 with us, and they all arrived safely. On another occasion, a group of seven was flying to Aspen, and they were considering two equally safe air carriers, both operated by highly qualified crews. A Lear 55 would have been slightly cheaper based on positioning, but we encouraged them to consider the Citation Ultra we presented.\u00a0 While it has a smaller cabin, it was designed specifically for short-field, high altitude airports, just like Aspen\u2019s. It might appear to be a simple difference, but it dramatically reduced their risk, and bargain basement brokers don\u2019t always have the commitment or expertise to pursue that extra margin of safety.<\/p>\n

What happens when you book with safety as a priority?<\/h2>\n

You expand your margin of safety.<\/h3>\n

\"Private<\/a> As a safety-conscious broker, how does Stratos ensure we\u2019re maximizing your safety?<\/p>\n

1. We have our very own Approved Vendor Program (AVP)<\/h4>\n

to identify and endorse Part 135 air carriers that meet our private jet charter safety standards\u2014the strictest in the air charter industry, instead of relying solely on third-party safety audits.<\/span> Our approved vendors must:<\/p>\n