How can I travel via not-regularly-scheduled aircraft?
What are some ways to find transportation via aircraft other than regularly scheduled common carriers?
For example:
- hiring private pilots (with commercial license) for short hops in general aviation aircraft?
- extra space on charter flights?
- extra space on private jets?
I would be interested in hearing any personal accounts of such travel.
Best Answer
For private charters, the industry term for what you are describing is "empty leg". A quick internet search will bring up a number of sites that list empty legs.
The NY Times had an article about this recently: http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/09/25/travel/fly-a-private-jet-at-public-prices.html
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What is the difference between scheduled and non scheduled flights?
Scheduled flights are those which get their schedule approved by the aviation regulator in advance for a period running into months. Non-scheduled flights are charter flights that are operated as per requirement.What is the difference between scheduled and charter flights?
"A scheduled flight means that tickets to flights are sold via various sales channels around the world. Scheduled flights may have connection flights. Charter flights, on the other hand, are bought from the airline by a tour operator.Can you fly your own plane to another country?
Private jet travel is very convenient for many reasons. One of them is having access to five times more airports than commercial planes. They don't need as long runways and can land in smaller airports that are unavailable to commercial airlines. So, to answer this question: YES, PRIVATE JETS CAN FLY ANYWHERE.Are charter flights illegal?
According to the agency, a charter is considered \u201cillegal\u201d if the aircraft owner, or operator, charters the aircraft without following the strict regulations established by the Federal Aviation Administration under FAR Part 135.Explained: How to Rebook a Flight For Free When an Airline Changes Its Schedule
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