The Internet is full of misconceptions: charter flight - what does it mean? Charter flights: no need to be afraid

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For beginner and elementary level travelers this is perhaps the most shining example, when you seem to understand what we are talking about, but you cannot give an exact definition (in fact, you don’t even know it) - this is the concept of a “charter flight”.

Of all the variety of associations, only “cheap” arises - which is justified, and “flight delay/cancellation” - but this smacks of prejudice. Be that as it may, this is a good way to save money, so let’s figure out where, when and why we should buy cheap ones. charter flights and can you rely on them?

Initially, a charter flight was something of a private order, based on the requirements of the client, not the airline. Now charter flights are associated with tour operators or organized large groups that, on the basis of a contract, buy from the airline and use its services for a certain period (for example, during the tourist season).

It’s almost like a taxi: a route is chosen in advance and it is assumed how many people will go, then seats are booked. The task of the “taxi driver” is to perform only the technical part - transportation (i.e., flight). After the clients (that is, tourists) are delivered, the “taxi driver” picks up other people nearby (loads those who are already rested) and takes them back.

Such a flight, by the way, is called a “shuttle charter,” but there are also “split charters”: part of the journey takes place on a regular (regular) airliner, then there is a transfer, and the charter one flies. This happens in small towns, from where it is impossible to go directly to the other side of the world; This is why a large transfer hub is needed.

Charters “specialize” in mass and seasonal resorts/departures. For example, there is no direct flight from Kazan to Rhodes. But there is a summer charter, tied to tour operators, which transports tourists to the island twice a week without transfers :) If you are lucky, you can catch only the flight.

Prices for charter tickets depend on the occupancy of the plane: the more empty seats, the cheaper the ticket. For example, you can fly from Moscow to Barcelona for 6,700 rubles (departure is expected in 2 days). Kazan-Rhodes-Kazan – 10,200 rubles!

Where do we look for cheap tours and air tickets?

It's no secret how to buy a plane ticket. Aggregators, of course, such as Skyscanner and OneTwoTrip. However, the instructions “charter flight” cannot be found there; alas, they are tailored for traditional flights.

Since charters are purchased by tour operators, it makes sense to look for tours as well. Sometimes they come out cheaper than the prices of (regular) air tickets. Moreover, individual tickets without a voucher appear just a few days before departure and are immediately sorted out by “hunters” who do not forget to watch day and night :)

We book tours on 3 well-known online search engines (we compare which is more profitable):

They monitor offers from 120+ tour operators and are able to detect promotional and last-minute tours or suggest when it’s cheaper to fly.

It’s one thing to snag charter tickets, and quite another to find inexpensive accommodation for these dates. Therefore, going on a tour is often easier and cheaper (especially for popular “package” destinations - Turkey, Greece, Spain, etc.).

How to buy a ticket for a charter flight without a voucher? Instructions

And yet, how to buy a ticket for charters without a tour?

Just six months ago, we would have had to send you to sophisticated and understandable only to travel agents (and are they reliable?) sites like chartergow.ru. Today, the Aviasales service has surpassed the above-mentioned aggregators in terms of functionality and now catches not only regular flights, but also charters!

Before you go searching, keep in mind that tickets become available no earlier than a week before departure. This is because the tour operator sells them in case of need to fill seats.

• Visit Aviasales
• Enter the desired city (or to be sure - Moscow), direction, dates and click “find tickets”
• Trust in fortune...
• Charter flights, if available, are displayed as the cheapest and marked

✓ Tour durations are typically 7, 10 and 14 days and charters will follow approximately this schedule
✓ A feed with dates and prices along the top edge helps you navigate low-cost flights
✓ To double-check, you can put a filter on Aviasales in the “AGENCIES” tab on Clickavia, ChaBuka and Sindbad (they work with charters)

Charter airlines flying from Russia

Azur Air charter flight (our tour to Dubai)

Not all airlines welcome the charter system. But those who are “in business” take travelers to places where regular flights are not announced :) These may be hard-to-reach or too exotic places, where there are few people willing to fly, but the occupancy of the cabin should be maximum. And only charters can do this.

Companies flying from Russia (from Moscow and regions) for 2019:

Which countries do charter flights fly to?

• Bulgaria
• Greece
• Spain
• Italy
• Czech
• Türkiye
• Tanzania

• Thailand
• India
• Morocco
• Tunisia
• Mexico
• Vietnam
• Sri Lanka

If you see charter flights to Turkey (one of the carriers presented above is flying), immediately look at tours for these dates (for example). 99% that the trip will be more profitable than booking tickets and hotels on your own.

Differences between charters and regular flights

1) Important: be prepared that the charter will be “turned around as they want”! The airport of departure (was Domodedovo, now Vnukovo) and arrival (was Phuket, now Krabi) may be changed - which, however, happens much less often than rescheduling a flight. For half an hour or a day forward or backward... This, of course, insidiously eats up or generously adds days of rest.

Let us note that our relations with charters have not yet been spoiled by long delays; much more often we “got into trouble” with regular flights.

2) You can buy tickets for charters no earlier than a week in advance. If it is cheaper to buy a ticket for a regular flight several months in advance, then the charter ticket will drop to a minimum closer to departure (if seats are “available”).

3) The ticket itself arrives by mail the day before departure, but no later than 24 hours before. Yes, it’s strange, you pay and wait 5 days, but those are the rules.

4) Charter tickets cannot be returned or exchanged. And online booking (i.e. asking to “hold” and redeem in a couple of days) does not work here.

5) Regular aircraft have advantages in the airspace: in case of delays, they are released onto the runway first.

Pros and cons of charters

Charters are good because:

• no transfers
• flight from hard-to-reach regions to destinations where regular flights do not fly (without connections)
• low cost
• there is no gradation by class in the salon... equality, friendship, chewing gum :)

Charters are not very good because:

• although they are tied to the schedule, they can be rescheduled 1+ hours later/earlier
• dealt with at the speed of light (by package tourists), and the lifespan of an unredeemed charter ticket is a maximum of 7 days
• regular flights are allowed to take off
• There is no business class on charter planes

Popular myths about charter flights

Everyone who is going to fly a charter for the first time loads themselves with the most unpleasant expectations: poor service, old planes, mandatory delays... But, nevertheless, we and many travelers choose such flights, which means they are worth it :)

Firstly, safety and the range of services offered are not reduced in any way in the case of a charter. The baggage transportation system is the same, food depends on the company and the duration of the flight (as on regular airlines), and the staff of the same level of professionalism is responsible for the lives of passengers. About old planes: yes, for the most part, they are “worn,” but this is not what determines the quality of the flight.

Secondly, do not confuse charters with low-cost airlines, whose prices are favorable by cutting services. Charters are wholesale purchases by a tour operator, which reduces the cost.

Thirdly, delays. They arise not because it is a charter, but due to reasons beyond our control: adjustments to the flight program by the tour operator, weather, late arrival of the ship, etc.

And by the way, the Montreal Convention obliges charter companies to provide the same compensation in case of long downtime as regular ones (food, drinks, hotel...)! And from 2018, airlines that delay 10% of flights in a month may not be allowed to fly the next month.

Copying of materials is permitted only with the obligatory indication of a direct, active and indexable hyperlink to the site.

Imagine that your company is having an offsite corporate event. In order to transport each employee to the event at the Dubki Lukhari holiday home, and most importantly, return the breadwinner back to the family, the company rents a bus.

You can try to transport everyone on a regular bus, but there may not be the required route to the gate of the boarding house. And if there is, it is not a fact that there will be the number of free seats you need in the cabin.

When a tour operator needs to take vacationers to a place in the sun and return them home within a few months, he rents a plane from an airline. In this case, a charter flight is included in the price of the package tour.

The flow of people wishing to fly to a tourist destination during the season may be too large, and seats on regular flights will run out before the passengers do. If a destination is popular only a few months a year, it is not profitable for airlines to launch a regular flight - there is no guarantee that they will be able to fill every plane.

What types of charters are there?

shuttle- an airplane that flies back and forth. Brings new group and takes away those who have already rested. If this is not a one-time charter, but a chain of flights for a certain time, the plane performs two empty flights: the first, when there is no one yet to pick up, and a flight without passengers, when the plane flies to pick up last group. Because of these two empty flights, the tour operator incurs additional costs, which he will want to share with vacationers by increasing the price.

Charter sucks- the plane does not fly back, but waits for the end of the rest and returns with the same passengers it brought. The travel agency pays for the use of “parking”, and most likely the price will also be higher.

Split- the charter is combined with a regular flight. Passengers fly to a large hub on an airline flight and transfer there to a charter. For example, to get to the islands. In most cases, such a charter will be optimal in price.

Transit- two charter flights. Essentially a split, which does not involve regular flights.

Polycharter- several transfers from plane to plane.

How are charters sold separately from the tour?

Charters are beneficial for tour operators if the plane is filled to capacity. Not all travel companies can cope with this alone. As a rule, one charter is divided among several companies, but even in this case there may remain free places, which will be sold to those who wish.

Is it true that charter tickets are cheaper than regular ones?

It all depends on the destination and what type of charter the travel agency uses. Sometimes low-cost airlines can offer equally favorable prices. However, in many cases, flying on a charter flight will cost much less.

On our website, when searching for plane tickets, results for regular and charter flights are displayed in one window - you can always compare prices and make an informed decision.

Departure cancellations and delays

If the plane is not full, will the charter be cancelled?

The charter flight may be cancelled. For different reasons. As, indeed, the regular one. In this case, the travel agency will do everything possible to transfer passengers to another flight. As mentioned above, the charter is part of a package tour and is already paid for by the tour operator, plus prepayment for hotel rooms, so passengers must fly. The plane is more likely to fly half empty, or there will be a change to a board with fewer seats, than the flight will be cancelled.

It very rarely happens that there is no alternative to a flight, so the flight is still cancelled. If you buy a tour, non-departure insurance is usually included in the list of paid services. Did you just buy a plane ticket on our website? We will refund the full cost of the ticket after the tour operator confirms the cancellation of the flight without providing a replacement.

Are charters more likely to be delayed than regular flights?

If the flight is canceled - a rare event, many passengers experienced delays.
Previously, charter flights did not have a guaranteed departure time, as scheduled flights always take priority. If there was a problem with the schedule and the airport was overloaded, charters were sent in second place. The wait for a free period could last for many hours.

Photo: suriyachan/Shutterstock

Since December last year, charter companies have been prohibited from delaying more than 10% of the total number of flights per month. And also the departure time for which permission has been received from the Federal Air Transport Agency is considered final. Now the number of delays of charter flights has decreased significantly.

In any case, it is better to check the flight schedule on the eve of the flight, since most carriers still do not guarantee the departure time indicated on the tickets. A decision may also be made to change the departure airport, and it is better to find out about this in advance.

Typically, charter flights depart early in the morning or at night when the airport is least busy, but the flight may be delayed due to weather conditions or technical problems. In the event of an aircraft breakdown, the airline will provide another plane for a regular flight. The number of aircraft for charter flights is limited, and, most likely, the flight will be delayed until everything is fixed.

What aircraft operate charter flights?

Charters fly old planes that crash every other day, right?

It is precisely because on charter flights that a breakdown is repaired, rather than the plane being changed, one gets the impression that a charter is a bucket of nails. In fact, on a regular flight, diagnostics may also reveal problems. But due to the replacement of the board, this fact is leveled out. All aircraft must meet the same requirements to be cleared to fly. It is not profitable for airlines to keep falling apart planes specifically for charter purposes, since after the end of the tourist season they will continue to fly to regular destinations.

Is there business class?

The only thing that differs from most planes that are rented for charter is that the cabin is not divided into zones for business class and economy. The entire cabin consists of the same seats, often with reduced space between rows for more capacity.

However, on long-distance directions business class still exists. It may differ in places with increased legroom and an expanded menu.

Photo: Mirelle/Shutterstock

Buying a charter ticket

I bought a ticket, but I received some kind of voucher in the mail, what should I do?

A voucher for a charter flight is confirmation of the purchase of a ticket, but is not the ticket itself and does not replace it. The air ticket will be issued later.

That is, they may not send a ticket?

When purchasing on our website, an itinerary receipt (your e-ticket) will be sent to specified address no later than 12 hours before departure. If you have not received your itinerary receipt, please call us after checking your Spam folder. For passengers who have purchased a charter, we have a dedicated helpline (telephone numbers are indicated in the voucher).

As a rule, to obtain a boarding pass at check-in at the airport you only need to present your passport, but we recommend printing out your itinerary receipt or saving it to your phone.

Is there online registration?

The option to check in online is at the discretion of the airline. Some airlines may open registration for charter on their website, while others will only allow you to check in at the airport. After receiving itinerary receipt, but no earlier than 24 hours before flight departure, go to the airline’s website and check the possibility of check-in.

Can I change my details after purchasing a ticket?

Changes to the spelling of a name or document number can only be made before the ticket is issued. Please check the information provided in the voucher immediately after purchase and do not delay calling if you see an error.

Is it possible to return a ticket?

According to the rules of charter flights, tickets cannot be exchanged or returned. Refunds are prohibited even in the case of medical contraindications for the flight, and also, for example, if the passenger was not allowed through customs. In this case, careful travel planning or purchasing non-departure insurance from an insurance company will help.

Photo: David Prado Perucha / Shutterstock

On board service

Will there be food during the flight?

The charter is not a low-cost airline; food is provided for passengers. The menu depends on the standards of the airline that owns the plane, the direction and duration of the flight.

What about the luggage?
In most cases free rate baggage allowance is at least 20 kg. But it can also be less. Baggage transportation is also carried out under standard airline conditions. When choosing a charter on our website, you can clarify information about baggage allowance by opening the “About the flight” section for the selected flight.

Screenshot of the Tutu.ru website

Why does everyone drink so much alcohol on charters?

We can assume that all these people are very afraid of flying, especially if they haven’t read about the reliability of charter planes on Tutu! stories." But most likely, it’s all due to the anticipation of a vacation on the way there and the habit of all inclusive for at least a week on the flight back. In addition, many merry fellows know that the crew will not land a charter plane if there is no threat to the lives of passengers, since this entails new expenses.

What should I do?

• Practice avoidance.
  Change your location, ask the flight attendant to move you to a quieter part of the cabin, use earplugs and sleep glasses.
• Practice acceptance.
  Meditate. It's time to practice; anyone can meditate in a Japanese garden while the birds sing. Keep the thought of what a thrifty owner you are and how much you saved on tickets.
• If the fun becomes destructive, contact the flight attendant. IN difficult cases the crew may decide to make an emergency landing of the aircraft.

Photo: pcruciatti / Shutterstock

How to find a cheap charter

The cheapest tickets for a charter flight can usually be purchased 3-4 days before departure. The tour operator, realizing that there are still seats on the plane and trying to cover at least part of the costs, can significantly reduce ticket prices. This option is suitable if you are not tied to a travel date and can get ready tomorrow or wait a couple more weeks. On our website you can subscribe to changes in the price of a flight and promptly learn about its reduction.

Not long ago we figured out which is better - and how they differ in general. Well, now, let’s move from thought to practice and try to understand where and how to buy a charter ticket.

In this article we will share with you purely practical information based on our personal experience, which we received as part of our daily search and publication of the cheapest air tickets for our group in VKontakte - Travel cheap with Travel or Die!.

Where to buy charter tickets?

Charter tickets cannot be purchased on the airline’s website or at an offline ticket office; they are sold either through tour operators, or through special ticket sites designed for the sale of charter tickets, or through metasearch engines that can search for tickets on charter ticket sites, among others. Well, we won’t tell you about tour operators because... in our opinion, there is no point in running around agencies if all the information can be found online, and then you can make a reservation without leaving your home. Let's save your calories, in general. 😀

Sites that specialize in charters include, for example, Chabuka, Charter24, ClickAvia, etc. These are trusted sites, you can use them without any problems, but there is another way to buy the coveted tickets.

As a rule, those who are looking for where to buy charter tickets initially just want an inexpensive direct flight to their destination. Charter or not, it’s not that important here, in fact. Therefore, in our opinion, it is most appropriate to look for tickets on the same Aviasales, since it has also been cooperating with charter ticket sales services for a long time and is quite good at finding them. The main advantage of searching through Aviasales is that you immediately see ALL available flight options, both charter and regular. You will have more room to choose - what if the regular season turns out to be cheaper?

Well, it seems like it's time to buy something? 🙂

IMPORTANT! Because Since all charter tickets are appendages to tour packages, which are typically designed for 3/7/11/14 nights, then charter tickets must be looked for with the same interval between departure/return dates.

Please note that what is above is a widget, and what is below are just pictures :)

How to buy charter tickets?

Let's look at the procedure for purchasing a charter ticket using Aviasales as an example. Let's imagine that we are looking for a charter ticket from Moscow to Antalya and back for a week in October, without any specific departure date, the main thing is that it is cheaper. The low price calendar from Aviasales, which you will find just above, can help us with this.

1) First of all, select the city of departure/arrival and check the box “only direct flights”. We indicate the duration of rest - 7 days. We get the following picture.

2) Click on the “October” button, the calendar for this month opens, where the departure dates with the lowest ticket price are highlighted in green - October 17 and 18. Click on October 17 and we will be redirected to the Aviasales website, where we can get more accurate information about available tickets.

3) So, it turned out that the cheapest ticket this month for 7 days is a flight on a regular Turkish Airlines flight. What about charters, since we were looking for them?

4) Let's see what non-stop tickets are still available for this date. Check the appropriate boxes on the left.

5) A list of all non-stop air tickets is displayed. And among them is the treasured charter from Pegas Fly airline! It is sold through the same ClickAvia service, which we mentioned above, but in addition to it, several more ticket offices are available that sell tickets for charters.

6) Well, then everything is simple. We decide which ticket we still want to buy - the cheapest one from Turkish Airlines, the option from Aeroflot, or a charter one. Click the “Buy” button, go to the ticket office website and complete the booking. It's that simple :)

Where do charters fly?

Theoretically, charters fly to almost all destinations where tours are sold, because... Tour operators in most cases organize flights not on regular flights, but rather on charter ones. There are exceptions, but this is not important now. So, they can and do fly, but you can’t buy a charter ticket for any destination. Why is that?

It is important to understand that tickets for charters are not sold by tour operators because of a good life. This is done to reduce losses in cases where the chartered plane could not be completely filled with package tourists. This, by the way, is the answer to another popular question - “is it possible to buy a charter without a tour?” - yes, of course you can, but not along every route.

Having observed the entire air transportation market for 3 years, we can confidently say on which routes, of those where charters fly, you can actually buy tickets almost always, on which ones they are added periodically, and on which ones they do not exist in principle, despite the dense network of charter flights. And there are also cases when there seem to be charters, but tickets cost significantly higher than regular ones.

So, to answer the question - where do charters fly? — to begin with, let’s highlight a number of destinations where charter tickets are almost always available.

Charter to Turkey

One of the most popular charter destinations is, of course, Türkiye. You can find and buy a charter ticket to Turkey quite often, the most popular destinations- these are Moscow-Antalya, Moscow-Dalaman and Moscow-Bodrum. Tickets are sold between April and November.

Where do charters fly to Turkey from?

Charters to Turkey fly from Moscow, St. Petersburg and most major Russian cities. In reality, a charter ticket to Turkey can only be found and purchased from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Offers from other cities are very rare.

What charters fly to Turkey?

Charters fly from Vim Airlines, Yamal, PegasFly, Red Wings, Turkish Airlines, i-Fly. You can buy a charter ticket to Antalya at a price from 9,500 to 25,000 rubles per round trip ticket per person.
Nordwind Airlines and Azur Air charters fly. Price: I haven’t seen anything cheaper than 25,000 rubles. This is the case when it is better to have a transfer, but save a decent amount of money.
. North Wind flies (Nordwind Airlines). Tickets are usually significantly more expensive than regular tickets.

Yamal and Taimyr fly.

Vim Airlines, Yamal and Azur Air fly. Cost from 11,000 rubles to 22,000 rubles.
. Still the same Vim Avia and Azur Air. Price - from 15,500 to 25,000 rubles.
. Azur Air flies. The price tag exceeds 20,000 rubles.
. Nordstar. Also from 20,000 rubles and above.

Charter to Goa

You can only buy a charter ticket to Goa from Moscow. We did not notice any of these from other Russian cities. Charter airlines Russia, Royal Flight, Azur Air fly. The most low prices usually found in Russia - from 24,000 rubles. Sometimes you can find one-way tickets from 3,000 rubles. In general, tickets from Moscow to Goa can be found throughout the entire tourist season.

Charter to Thailand

If you are looking for charters to Thailand, then you should pay attention to the route, because... There are no charter tickets for other resorts on the island. You can buy a charter ticket to Phuket from Moscow at a price of 24 to 30 thousand rubles round trip. Sometimes, for upcoming dates, you can find one-way tickets from 4,000 rubles.

Charters are sold, but they are very expensive - from 43 to 50 thousand rubles.

There are also charters. PegasFly airline flies. But the prices in this direction are quite steep - we have not seen any options cheaper than 55,000 rubles in both directions.

Charters also cost exorbitant amounts of money, but if anything, they are there. 🙂 Azur Air and Nordwind Airlines fly - from 45 thousand for a round trip flight.

Charter in Tenerife

Charters depart to Tenerife from Moscow and St. Petersburg. However, if you buy a charter ticket to Tenerife from Moscow at favorable price sometimes it’s still possible - you can come across tickets starting from 12,000 rubles round trip, but we haven’t seen charters from St. Petersburg to Tenerife for less than 30,000. Vim Avia and Azur Air fly from Moscow, and Ural Airlines fly from St. Petersburg.

Charter to Greece

Quite a lot of charters from Russia also fly to Greece, in particular from Moscow, St. Petersburg and from the regions. There are flights to almost all popular tourist islands - Rhodes, Crete, Corfu, etc.

Flights of Utair (suddenly), Russia, Yakutia and Ellinair airlines fly. As a rule, tickets go on sale within 1 week before departure at prices ranging from 11,000 to 13,000 rubles - if we talk about minimum fares.

Charter to the Dominican Republic

It is impossible to get to the Dominican Republic on a direct flight from Russia, other than by charter. It is therefore not surprising that many tourists are trying to find good charter deals on this route. However, the thing is that despite the fact that Moscow-Dominican Republic charters are sold regularly, it is not so easy to find adequate prices. Charters such as iFly, Russia, Azur Air fly from Moscow to Punta Cana (Dominican Republic). The lowest prices we have ever seen are 20-22 thousand rubles in Russia, but they are very rare, more often we came across options of 25-27,000 rubles, but generally the price of tickets for a Moscow-Dominican Republic charter is from 40,000 rubles per person . The cost of charters drops lowest when there is less than a week left before departure, but even here you should not expect that it is guaranteed to drop to a pleasant 22,000 - 25,000 rubles round trip. 🙂

Let us repeat once again that all the above examples of charter flights with prices were taken from Aviasales, which has become quite good at finding charter tickets in the last couple of years.

PS. Information on current charter destinations in this article is constantly updated. If you need help finding a charter for a particular route, write in the comments!

We hope that we were able to help you a little in finding the answer to the question - how to buy a charter ticket. 🙂

Modern realities provide every person with the opportunity to see the world. Most citizens prefer to travel by air - this method significantly reduces travel time and is considered quite comfortable. People who have flown by plane have heard of the concept of “charter flights.” We invite you to learn the nuances about the specifics of such travel and clarify what this term means.

Let's start with a clear definition, What is a charter plane flight? Compared to regular transportation, such routes are carried out by prior agreement. The intermediary in this scheme is the tourist operator, who submits applications to the contractor for routes that are optimal for tourists. Sometimes this role is played by an ordinary independent reseller, who subsequently offers convenient routes for specific travel companies.

A charter flight involves transporting passengers along a specific route that is not listed on the schedule.

If we compare this method of movement with the usual for many people by land transport, readers will easily answer the question: “Charter flight – what does it mean?” After all, the first analogy here is transportation to order. Accordingly, it is impossible to fly such planes on your own - such routes are not listed on the schedules. You can only buy air tickets here from a specific tour operator. Of course, this also involves ordering a ready-made tour from this company, although there are exceptions.

The intermediary offering this method of transportation is responsible for its quality and timeliness. In addition, a third party is preparing to assemble the aircraft for departure. This will require completing the necessary paperwork for passengers to fly, preparing a list of reservations, and implementing a set of related activities.

According to experts, charter flights are a way to reduce the load on airlines during the holidays of most citizens and peak tourist seasons. Although this option has some features and inconveniences, there are also advantages. Let's take a closer look at all the rumors associated with this type of transportation and figure out how true they are.

Charter classification

Charters provide separate types of flights. The cheapest planes are those chartered for up to 10 days. They carry out the flight, stay for the agreed time and take passengers back. Experts call this method a layover charter or a time charter. Let's list other types of such methods of delivering tourists:

• shuttle– regular flights to deliver passengers to the required point;
• split– combining a flight with a regular route that involves transfer of tourists; experts call a route involving more than two transfers a poly charter;
• closed flight– corporate transportation of passengers;
• VIP – chartering a liner for a certain period of time with the customer’s full right to use the board at his own discretion.

Time charters are flights where the board delivers passengers to the desired point, stays there for an agreed period of time and takes people back

In addition, the intermediary has the right to buy and. This option is called block charter. This is usually done by operators who do not have a sufficient number of passenger requests to buy the entire plane.

Route specifics

People who have used such services talk about the imperfections and low comfort of such flights. But at the same time Passengers note the low cost of travel.

Let us briefly explain the reasons for this phenomenon. Since such routes are purchased by an intermediary, and often this is done for commercial purposes, there is a third party in addition to the carrier and tourists. Coordination of the interests of the parties interested in the transaction does not exclude the manifestation of poor organization of the business. As a result, possible flight schedule overlaps and other nuances appear.

However, the cheapest flight today is a charter flight. Here they use aircraft only with an economy class cabin. The seats here are the same and the number of seats is increased relative to aircraft flying on a regular route. In addition, food provided for passengers is limited here. This causes frequent complaints from tourists.

There are also features with . Regular routes require the passenger to reserve a seat or purchase a ticket in advance. A charter is a flight on which the seats are purchased by an intermediary, so air tickets for such a flight are available only at the time of check-in. However, there are exceptions to this as well. general rule. We'll discuss them later.

A charter flight differs from a regular flight in the presence of an intermediary

Since such flights involve some inconvenience, many people mistakenly believe that charters are not the most the best way planning your route. Experts agree with this statement, but also note the advantages of this method. Let's talk about the advantages of such flights.

Positive sides

Let us list the advantages of this method over regular flights.

1. Flights on rare routes. As a rule, this type of travel allows the tourist to reach countries where there are no flights. Often a charter becomes the only option to get to exotic and little-known places.
2. Cheap travel. It is foolish to deny the fact that such a flight has a fairly low cost. This is due to a combination of different factors, but the cheapness of the charter is obvious. These flights sometimes cost half the price of a regular flight.
3. No transfers. Here experts note that this plane follows a direct route and thereby reduces the inconvenience of passengers.

Charter flights are a cheap way to get to remote corners of the planet

The complex of such aspects makes this type of flight an attractive method for a certain category of tourists. Although we note that such flights are characterized negatively due to large number shortcomings. Let's talk about them too.

Disadvantages of charter flights

Answering the question: “Charter – what is it?”, experts simultaneously give a comprehensive description negative aspects this type of flight. There are many disadvantages here - after all, the flight was created by an intermediary exclusively for commercial purposes. The main disadvantages of this method are:

1. Possibility of flight delay or rescheduling. Because charters do not involve transfers, air traffic controllers give priority for landings and departures to planes that operate scheduled flights in order to meet the schedule.
2. Inability to purchase a ticket in advance. As we said, you can only get a seat on such a plane when you check in for your flight. In rare exceptions, air tickets go on sale immediately before departure or the day before the planned flight.
3. Strictly regulated periods of stay at the resort. The specifics of the charter imply specific days of departure from the country, so the passenger will not be able to shorten or extend the trip by purchasing seats in both directions.
4. Flights in standard economy cabins. The desire of a tourist to travel comfortably in such cases cannot be realized. After all, there is no provision for the passenger to change his seat to a more prestigious equivalent.
5. Impossibility of a refund for a purchased air ticket. If force majeure occurs, the passenger will not return the ticket. Refunds are also not possible. A purchased place can only be re-registered to another person.
6. Lack of bonus accounting. This type of flight does not involve the accrual of bonus miles, as for regular flights.

Given the many disadvantages of chartering, many people are wary of this type of travel. However, in certain situations, such a route becomes the only way to get to the desired point in the world. We briefly discussed general specifics flight, and now let’s take a closer look at the nuances of purchasing seats on such flights.

Features of purchasing air tickets

Since the entire flight is purchased by an intermediary, the purchase of seats here has its own specifics. When chartering a board, a travel company calculates the return on investment of the transaction. It is profitable for the company to sell all charter tickets. What does this mean? Experts talk about lack of general access to purchase these securities. Although today intermediaries place unsold remaining tickets on specialized portals. You will visit one of them by following the link. You can also purchase a seat on board directly from the tour operator..

It is believed that the most a reliable option for a passenger is to purchase a tour that includes a flight. Indeed, if the ship is not full enough, the flight is postponed for a certain period. And changing the airport depending on the departure time is not uncommon here. Independent purchase of an air ticket is possible only two days before the planned trip. This is rare here; sometimes operators use this technique, but only a day before departure.

Experts' opinion

There are many misconceptions passengers have regarding this flight option. Most people are sure that such transportation is carried out only by outdated models of airliners. Experts categorically disagree with this statement. Charters include flying on different aircraft, including modern aircraft.

Contrary to popular belief, a charter cannot be canceled - flights are only postponed with a significant time shift

Many passengers talk about poor food and lack of service. Here experts note the fact of providing the required minimum of services, which are determined by the flight range. In addition, if the plane is delayed, passengers have the right to use the service provided by the carrier airline - free meals at the airport and overnight accommodation in case of serious disruptions to the travel schedule.

Some tourists negatively characterize a charter flight due to the possibility of trip cancellation. Experts convince us of the opposite opinion. If full payment is made for the seat, the passenger will be delivered to their destination. True, the departure dates are significantly shifted. Of course, for people who have strict time limits, such rules are tantamount to canceling a flight without financial compensation.

Existing restrictions on the transportation of baggage are also the reason for the widespread opinion that it is prohibited to transport things on such flights. Here experts are talking about set limits, and not about a complete restriction. This point depends on the specific airline. After all, traveling in economy class requires rationing of passengers' luggage.

For such flights, aircraft suitable for capacity and level of comfort are used, and not old models.

The review quite fully characterizes the specifics and nuances of this method of travel. After reading the material, readers have the right to draw their own conclusions and determine the advisability of such trips. After all, the lack of high-quality service and the listed inconveniences here are compensated by the price of the flight and the opportunity to directly follow a route that is not offered by airlines.

A charter flight involves transporting passengers along a specific route, which is not listed on the schedule, on a pre-chartered aircraft
Experts call time charters the cheapest option for such flights - flights where the board delivers passengers to the desired point, stays there for an agreed period of time and takes people back
A charter flight differs from a regular flight in the presence of an intermediary who buys seats on board and offers his own flight route.
Charter flights are a cheap way to get to remote corners of the planet
Many people consider the lack of business class seats in the cabin and the low comfort of transportation to be a serious disadvantage of charters
Usually, you can only get a ticket for a charter flight during check-in.

A charter flight is a special-order transportation carried out by aircraft. The flight is booked by a consolidator, who then resells the seats on the plane to one or more travel agencies that are interested in this tourist destination. These words are familiar to everyone, but the concept of a charter flight - what does it mean?

Such a flight cannot be found on the schedule; tickets for it cannot be purchased at the regular ticket office. Since this flight is booked by a travel agency, it sells plane tickets only to its clients who have purchased tickets to a specific destination.

The organizer undertakes full responsibility for preparation - everything related to documentation, pre-flight preparation, booking. Most often, the need for charters arises when the flow of tourists during the holiday season far exceeds the airline's capabilities.

Regular flights and charters are similar in nature, but have many differences. So, what is a charter flight and how is it different from others?

• If you are flying on a regular flight for vacation, you will receive a ticket immediately at the time of purchase, but you will receive a charter ticket either the day before departure or already at the airport. This does not cause any particular inconvenience, but it is necessary to take this factor into account.
• If you don’t make it on time to board the ship flying to your destination, then be prepared for the tour operator to cancel your return ticket. If you plan to get to the resort in some other way, but want to use a return ticket, be sure to notify the travel agency-seller.
• A charter can be moved from one airport to another, or a plane can be changed, whereas such adventures do not happen with regular ones.
• In most cases, it is impossible to reserve seats on a charter; only very rarely do consolidators open bookings, but not for more than a day.
• Well, the most important difference is that you do not organize your flight, you just provide all the information about yourself to the travel agency, and upon arrival at the airport you receive a boarding pass, after which you can board the plane.

A charter is organized by a travel agency in cases where there is great demand for a particular destination, but airlines do not provide the opportunity to fly direct.

A travel agency rents a plane from an airline, concluding an agreement for the carriage of passengers, and purchasing all the seats in the cabin.

Charter flights have their advantages and disadvantages; let’s look at them in more detail.

Charter flights

Pros of a charter flight

1. A charter is often almost the only opportunity to fly to destinations where there are no direct flights. In addition, this will allow you to save time and money on transfers. Charters often fly to very rare destinations.
2. The second advantage follows from the first; charter is a fairly cheap way to fly.
3. Charter is sometimes the only way to get to a place where regular flights do not fly at all.
4. The charter ticket can be easily reissued to another person if you are unable to fly.
5. Complete absence of transfers. This, by the way, explains the priority of departure of regular flights over charters, since a regular flight can connect with another, which is why they are allowed forward along the air corridor. Charter passengers will not have to make transfers, which means that the airlines will not incur penalties.

Disadvantages of flying charter

Unfortunately, it is believed that a charter flight has many more disadvantages than a regular flight. Since a charter flight is carried out by a tour operator for the purpose of earning Money, be prepared for the fact that a cheap flight ticket will result in some inconveniences. The disadvantages of using charters include:

1. A charter flight may be rescheduled or delayed, since it is not a priority for the airline; regular flights are always skipped ahead. In case of technical problems, it will be necessary to wait until the aircraft is restored to readiness.
2. If you buy a ticket yourself, and not through a tour operator, then be prepared for the fact that you can buy it several days before departure, and if the plane is not full, the flight may not take place.
3. The duration of the tour is strictly regulated, since planes fly according to a strict schedule, bringing and picking up new and new groups of tourists, so it will not be possible to change the length of stay at the resort.
4. Charter flights do not earn bonus miles, unlike main airline flights.
5. You will not be able to get your money back for your ticket if you cancel your flight.
6. There will be no opportunity to change flight class in the cabin of a charter aircraft. In order to save money, all seats have economy class status; more such seats can be accommodated, which means more profit for the travel agency.

Comfort and coziness are what a charter flight will provide you with.

Common Misconceptions

Despite everything, a charter flight is very convenient way get to the right place, especially if your destination does not involve regular direct flights.

The most common mistakes include the following deficiencies attributed to charters:

1. Charter flights are carried out by old aircraft. This is not true; charter flights are carried out by the same vessels that carry out regular transportation.
2. The unreliability of flights is another big misconception. Charter passengers, just like regular flight passengers, receive free meals in the event of a plane delay, and in the event of a long wait for departure, the opportunity to spend the night at an airport hotel.
3. There is no food on board a charter plane. This is a mistake, depending on the flight duration standards, you will be provided with the required food and drinks on board the plane.
4. The flight may be cancelled. And again, a lie, since no one can refuse you a flight if you have paid money for the ticket. The flight will be rescheduled, the plane will be replaced, and a little later, but the flight will take place.
5. It is often believed that a charter flight does not include luggage, but this is also a misconception. Each carrier has its own baggage allowance in economy class and this does not depend on the regularity of the flight.

How to buy tickets for charter flights correctly

Before chartering an aircraft, the tour operator analyzes the situation, assesses the demand for the flight and only based on this, orders the aircraft from the airline if it expects that the deal will pay off. Most the best option purchases are the purchase of a ticket that is already included in a package tour purchased from a trusted operator. Most often, travel agencies do this; all places are distributed among tours, which are then sold. However, if you do not want to buy a tour or have other reasons why you want to fly on your own, then you can buy a charter ticket separately from the tour.

If you decide to find a charter ticket on your own, then be prepared for the fact that it is not so easy. Tickets appear only a few days before departure; you can find them in several specialized search engines.

In the era of Internet development, there are several sites that sell charters specifically, however, large search engines also support the charter search function.

You can also simply contact a travel agency, which will definitely sell out unclaimed flight tickets.

Such tickets are otherwise called last-minute tickets, because the tour operator wants to recoup its investment, even if it usually does not sell tickets separately from the tour.

Tickets for charter flights are sold several times cheaper

Types of charters

• Shuttle charter is a type of flight in which the aircraft constantly delivers and picks up new passengers. Tickets for it are usually more expensive, since the plane makes its first and last flight empty.
• Split charter is a combined flight when part of the journey is taken over by a regular flight. This happens if the flight is carried out to particularly remote corners of the planet.
• A poly charter is a combined flight where passengers have to change planes two or more times.
• A layover charter is a flight that brings passengers to their destination, waits for them in a specially designated area, and then returns with them. Parking an airplane is cheaper than flying empty. The disadvantage of such a flight is that you are unlikely to be able to spend more than a week on vacation.
• A corporate charter is a flight ordered by a specific organization for the purpose of transporting its employees to any events.
• VIP charter is a very expensive route, which involves full use of the aircraft by the customer.

Group charter flights

So now you have an idea of ​​what a charter flight means. Before you are all the pros and cons, differences and general information, now you can decide whether a charter is the right option for you or whether you would prefer another method of travel. Proceed from considerations of personal comfort.