Charter flights. Charter flight - what does it mean

Forrest Gump's mom used to say: "Charters are like a box chocolates. You never know what's inside." Of course, this was not in the film, but the essence is conveyed correctly. Many have not yet figured out their relationship with charters. Do they feed or wrap a chicken with you? Why is the price so low, is it a conspiracy? Will we take off at all or not?

What does charter flight mean?

To understand, let's first discuss the terms:

Chartered flight- a flight ordered by a tour operator or other legal entity on the basis of a rental (charter) agreement.

Now for an example. Let's say a travel agency wants to send a group of very tired people to rest in the Italian province. And make money on it. But here's the problem - there are no regular flights from Russia, because the direction is interesting only in certain months, and the rest of the time you would have to work at a loss.

Then the travel agency (usually there are several) rents a plane from the airline for a season and sends tourists to get new photos on Instagram.

What are the charters

• Split - a combined flight, when part of the way is overcome by a regular flight.
• Shuttle - the plane constantly delivers and picks up new passengers.
• Poly - passengers change the plane several times.
• Charter with sludge - the plane brings tourists to their destination, waits, then returns with them.

Charter flights: popular misconceptions

We went through blogs and articles written by real dreamers and saw what they think about charters.

Now let's explain expertly.

But it's not just the chairs. Don't expect the same service from a cheap charter flight as you would from a regular route.

A charter flight can be operated by any airline. And the softness of the blanket, the red lipstick of the stewardess and the taste of tomato juice will be exactly the same as when flying on a regular flight of this carrier.

In charter flights, a 1990 Boeing 737 Classic is considered quite a decent car - in the sense that airlines try to put the most rickety sides on such flights (which, however, does not affect the speed and safety of the flight).

Only one thing is true here - the "weakness" of the aircraft does not affect how fast and safely it flies. Nobody likes to ride tourists on old ships. Such planes need to be monitored, repaired, pigeoned. Who cares?

If you buy a ticket on your own, and not through a tour operator, then be prepared for the fact that you can buy it a few days before departure, and if the plane is not full, then the flight may not take place.

If you paid for a ticket, then no one will refuse you a flight. They will simply postpone the time, replace the plane, and even the carrier. And there is not always a replacement the worst option. Actually, a regular flight can also be canceled, charters have no special position.

On charters, they usually do not feed. Or fed, but worse than on regular flights. The travel agency will try to save on everything. You won't get free alcohol on board this plane either. This also applies to soft pillows, warm blankets, newspapers and other comfort items. Of course, it all depends on the level of the charter, but usually many amenities are not available.

And here is another common nonsense - to confuse a charter and a low-cost airline. Low-cost airline is a service constructor. The ticket is very cheap, and all other amenities ( hand luggage, food, etc.) - paid separately. They do not have blankets and caramels for takeoff. But you can fly to Berlin for almost a piece of gum, half a banana and a couple of coins. Charters are regular flights simply chartered by a third party.

Which airlines operate charter flights

Yes, almost everything: Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, S7, Yakutia, Utair, NordStar Airlines, Rusline, etc.

Charter airlines in Russia:

• I FLY - works with TEZ TOUR and flies from Vnukovo to Turkey, Spain, Egypt, Italy and Thailand.
• Pegas Fly - performs charter flights to cities in Europe, Asia and Africa.
• Red Wings Airlines - flies from Domodedovo to Spain, Greece, Egypt, etc.
• Azur Air - Operates with Anex Tour.
• Royal flight - works with Coral Travel and transports tourists to popular tourist cities: Goa, Barcelona, ​​Sharm el-Sheikh, Antalya, etc.
• Nordwind - carries out air transportation in European countries and to the popular resorts of the World.

Despite the fact that the companies are charter companies, some also have regular flights within Russia.

Versus: charter or scheduled flight

About tickets for charter flights

• Start looking no earlier than a week before departure.
• Even Globa will not be able to predict whether tickets will appear on the date you need. There is a risk that you will wait until the last minute, but there will be no tickets. Here's a hint: at the end and beginning of the season, the chances of catching a ticket are higher.
• It is cheaper to fly back exactly in 2 weeks, since almost all tours are designed for this period.
• Tickets for charter flights are also available in VK groups, however, there are more scammers than good offers.

What travelers say about charters

For travelers, monitoring charters is like digging through a junk dealer at a flea market. Basically all rubbish, but with due patience, you can dig up a real pearl: I flew to Bulgaria for 900 rubles and to India for a little more than 2 thousand. So I advise you to monitor charters - there is always a chance to fly somewhere with them almost for free or find amazing destinations. For example, you can get direct from Moscow to Svalbard only by charter, which is chartered by Arktikugol for its employees in Barentsburg, but anyone can buy a ticket.

I often fly charters within Europe. I don’t feel any particular discomfort from this :) For me, the main thing is to get to the right place on time and not particularly overpay for it (especially when it takes 1-2 hours to fly), whether it’s a regular flight or a charter, I don’t see much difference. It is important that the above criteria are present. I heard that often the departure time is delayed by charters, but I was lucky in this regard - it feels like the probability of a delay is the same as on regular flights. Some French will close the sky, and you are already sitting on the plane for 3-4 hours waiting for departure :) In addition, you can get to some cities only on such flights.

I rarely fly charter flights, but I had such an experience with Ukrainian tour operators. Usually such flights are organized by special airlines, which often do not serve regular flights.

From what I have noticed, the level of service in such flights is lower, and the flight time can be rescheduled regardless of objective indicators - the weather or the workload of the airport. I know stories when flights were postponed for a day. It is impossible to influence this, so you can only hope that everything will go according to schedule.

All this is a small problem, because you are flying on a pre-arranged vacation, so the anticipation of the holiday smooths out all the inconveniences. Plus, the cost of the tour with flights included is very attractive, you don’t have to waste time choosing tickets, everything is decided for you.

In addition, I know that tickets for charter flights can be bought separately from the tour. They are not easy to find, but the price is much lower than standard flights. True, I never succeeded in this - usually I fly for 3-4 days, and charters involve 7-10 days in the country.

It is difficult to compare, since for me there is not much difference between flying a charter flight and a regular one. I just want to get from one point to another.

I recommend to my subscribers to pay attention to both types of flights and not to exclude charters. I repeat, there are no tangible differences - the same plane flies the same way. But there can be a low price for charter flights - this is important when you are planning a trip yourself and the budget is limited.

I just look for tickets in specialized search services and don’t look for charters on purpose. I don’t even remember that I came across a note somewhere that the flight was regular or charter. The main thing when looking for a ticket is to look at the price calendar for the month (this is a very useful thing) and choose the departure date with the lowest ticket price if you are not tied to specific dates.

Do you like to plan your own travels? It's easy - it's more of a hassle. When organizing a trip, there are many details to consider. And one of the most important issues- transport. Which is better to travel: by plane or by train? How to fly: direct flight, but more expensive, or connecting, but cheaper? What to choose: charter or regular season?

Let's stop at last question. We all know that there are two types of flights: regular and charter. The difference between them is easiest to explain using the example of land transport. There are intercity buses that have a clearly defined schedule and operate flights according to it. They leave the station at the appointed time. Such a bus will leave even if there are only two passengers. And there is bus transportation on an individual order. They can be organized by any company or even an individual. In this case, the carrier signs the contract and performs the carriage in accordance with the specified conditions. The number of passengers, the route and the date of departure are chosen by the customer, and these conditions are discussed in advance (in fact, this is where the business conversation begins).

A charter flight is the same transportation on an individual order, only it is carried out not by bus, but by plane. Otherwise, there are not so many differences. Most often, charters are organized by a travel company - a consolidator. She chooses a carrier, concludes a deal with him and draws up all the documents. The air carrier undertakes to resolve issues related to the technical side of the flight (obtaining permits from public service civil aviation, planning routes, technical preparation of the aircraft, etc.). The travel company predicts in advance what the number of passengers will be. This creates a supply that perfectly matches the demand.

Charter flights do not have a schedule; you cannot buy a ticket for them at the ticket office. Most often they come "complete" with the tour, but some companies organize the sale of tickets for charters. For knowledgeable tourists, this is a good way to save on airfare. Usually a charter flight costs 30-40% cheaper than a regular one. The low price is explained by fewer costs: the plane does not need to be driven anywhere “for nothing”, it is filled immediately, underloading is minimal. Many companies plan flights in such a way that a charter plane delivers tourists to the resort and immediately picks up the previous batch from there. As a last resort, if there is a shortage of passengers, the air carrier may allocate an aircraft of a smaller capacity for charter. And regular flights do not always pay off 100%, and the risk of underloading is included in the ticket price.

The geography of charter flights is quite large. They fly to almost any country, including those where a regular flight is operated once a week. But most charter flights are made to the most popular tourist destinations.

Misconceptions about charter flights:

"Charter is expensive." As we have already said, charter tickets cost about 30-40/% cheaper than regular flights in the same direction. Sometimes a charter can be half the price of a regular flight. In terms of cost, only regular flights of discounters can be compared with a charter. But it is not a fact that the schedule of low-cost airlines will include the direction, time or frequency of flights you need.

"The charter may be cancelled." Charter is component tour package that the company provides to the client. And the company is more interested in customers turning to it again, and not in their rushing to competitors. Hence the careful control over all the details, including the execution of flights. A charter flight may be delayed (for example, due to bad weather), but do not cancel. If the aircraft is out of order, the carrier company will provide another one. If the plane is not full, the company will also change it to a less spacious one. In general, charter flights are canceled almost less often than regular ones.

“Regular flights are safer, but for charters they take the most broken planes.” Oddly enough, scheduled and charter flights are very often operated by the same carriers. Accordingly, the aircraft fleet of these companies in both situations is the same. And for charter flights, the company will use the aircraft that is suitable in terms of capacity, profitability and time. And not one that is sure to fall apart over the ocean and successfully sink the unbearable passengers.

"Regular flights are more reliable." It is better to ask about the reliability of regular flights to those who have been sitting at the airport for at least a day due to the cancellation or delay of the aircraft. There are many more such people than it seems - it is easy to be convinced of this by a short survey of your acquaintances. At the same time, not everyone knows that in case of a flight delay of three hours or more, the airline must provide passengers with free food. If the flight is delayed by more than 8 hours, passengers are entitled to free hotel accommodation at the expense of the carrier. It must be said that tour operators organizing charters comply with these rules better than airlines operating regular flights. And a passenger flying on a charter is more likely to receive from travel company what is due to him by law.

“They don’t give food on charter flights - at best they will give you a glass of juice with a bun.” If this is your personal experience- it means that you have come across an extremely unscrupulous organizing company. Experienced passengers say that even wine was served on charters in the early 2000s. Now, of course, this is practiced much less frequently, but no one will leave you hungry in flight. Meals on the plane are a kind of tradition, and not serving it means frankly showing the traveler your indifferent attitude. However, there is always a chance that you personally will not like the food. But that depends on your taste.

What you should pay attention to when choosing between scheduled and charter flights:

Departure time. As a rule, charter flights depart at the most inconvenient time - for example, at 3-4 in the morning. This is due to the fact that regular and charter flights are operated from the same airports. Carrier companies have to use the hours free from regular flights for departure. And this is usually the most "inconvenient" time - at night or early morning. If a certain time of departure is important to you, you should give preference to regular flights.

Absence of classes. In charter flights, there is usually no division into economy and business. Service, menu and seating distance are the same for everyone. If you like more comfort, albeit at a higher price, regular flights with business class are more suitable for you ... or renting an aircraft.

Historical reference:

In the early days of aviation, "tailor-made" flights were rare. Only noble people like monarchs or wealthy could afford this. business people(like millionaires). Only in the middle of the twentieth century did charter flights become available. ordinary people. The impetus for the development of charter flights was ... the desire to relax. People from the most different countries, Europeans and Americans, sought to get to rest in the area mediterranean sea, as well as to Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and many other regions. It was there that the first mass charter flights were made. And the “peak of popularity” of charters came at the end of the 20th century. At this time, charter flights accounted for almost half of the total number of all international European flights.

From Minsk and nearby capitals. Thoughtful readers immediately asked why there were no charter flights on the list. Therefore, in this issue of the column, we are happy to explain in which case it is better to fly to the sea on a charter and where to buy tickets for such aircraft.

What is a charter flight?

Imagine that a travel agency needs to quickly deliver a crowd of its clients to some paradise by the sea. Then they rent an aircraft from the airline, which can operate a regular flight schedule or fly to places where direct flights are not provided. Usually, tickets are sold as part of package tours, but often extra tickets remain - this is where you can join the game and fly to the seas at a reasonable price (-20-30%). Especially if you have planned a trip during the holiday season or for the New Year.

What you need to know about charter flights?

The charter price is usually significantly lower than the cost of a regular flight - especially flights from Minsk. True, a huge number of factors affect the price: the season, the time between the date of departure and arrival, price wars between regular flights and charters. But the fact is that it is cheaper to get to many places by charter than to make a complex route with a bunch of transfers - usually this seaside resorts Turkey, Greece, Montenegro, Bulgaria.

Charters are for spontaneous travelers or guys with strong nerves, because you can usually buy a ticket for them only 2 weeks or even 10 days before departure. Okay, tickets for unpopular dates with travel agencies are sold well in advance, but you need to check in each case. It may also turn out that there are no tickets for the date you need at all - travel agencies have dared everything for their clients. It also happens that a ticket appears literally a day or two before departure, if someone refused - so buying tickets for a charter is practically a sport. The easiest option here is to decide on the city, call the consolidator and clarify what options are available.

How to buy a ticket for a charter?

There are two scenarios. Firstly, you can monitor the websites of the largest travel operators or contact them directly and find out if there are empty seats on charter flights for specific dates and destinations. But this option is only suitable for people with a lot of free time.

It is much easier to look for tickets from consolidators who specialize in charters. You can check the information on the following sites.

With departures from Minsk:

With departures from Moscow:

With departures from Kyiv:

. flyuia.com - UIA charter flights

Cons of charters

Departure time for charters is a relative concept. An hour or two late is a very common occurrence. The fact is that charter flight departures are “inserted” into the intervals between regular flight departures, and therefore if regular flights experience any delays, charter flights are also postponed. If the airport is busy, a charter will be put in the queue rather than a regular flight.

The quality of service is inferior to regular flights. Forget about bonuses, loyalty systems, student discounts and other goodies. Get ready to shake like in a minibus in an old plane and don’t really count on a magazine, a movie, or even Vzletnaya caramel. True, if you fly from Minsk, consider yourself lucky: the flights are operated by the same Belavia.

The ticket cannot be returned. After Ryanair, of course, you are no stranger to this. But keep in mind: if you refuse tickets, the money will not be returned. Good news is that the ticket can be reissued to another person - however, you will have to look for it yourself.

Return dates are often tied to tours. If you managed to "snatch" a ticket there, then count on that good price the return will be only on the date "tied" to the package tour: in a week, 10 days or two weeks. This variant of events concerns destinations where flights are made infrequently. On popular destinations, you have more freedom to choose dates.

Have a basic question about travel, flights, luggage, booking and finding places? Feel free to ask it in the comments or send it by mail [email protected], and we, you see, will write an article for you in response.

Many travelers are intimidated by charter flights. They seem unreliable, unstable. Every now and then you hear how airlines are banned from charter flights. Travelers with experience remember the beginning of the 2000s, when charters flew only from tiny airports, and airlines saved on everything: buses for passengers, food on board, and the seats were no more comfortable than in trains. However, things have changed since then! We will dispel all fears and doubts about this really convenient way to go anywhere in the world!

What it is?

Charter flights differ from regular flights in that they are organized not by the airline, but by a third-party customer. Many people think that charter flights are just planes carrying passengers to the resort, but this is not entirely true. For example, helicopters that deliver workers to the Sakhalin oil shelf also make charter flights.

How is it different from regular?

Today, charter flights are carried out by the same airlines, aircraft and airports as in the case of regular flights. If you do not tell the passenger that he is flying on a charter flight, he will not notice the difference. The only important difference is that the air ticket price is much lower!

Low prices are due to various reasons.

1. First— charters fly only to those destinations where the aircraft occupancy rate is 100%. These are usually popular resort destinations. On scheduled flights, airlines compensate for low occupancy rates with high fares.
2. Second cause low prices is that the airline providing aircraft for charter flights is exempt from a large number work. All that is required from the airline is to provide the aircraft and crew for a safe and comfortable flight, and the charter customer is responsible for selling tickets, occupancy of the aircraft, informing passengers and many other complex organizational things.

Customers, as a rule, are large tour operators, for example:

• Tez Tour;
• Biblio Globus;
• Natalie Tours.

Tour operators are also not at a loss from charter cooperation with airlines, they receive a commission for each transported passenger. Thus, a convenient and beneficial for everyone, and most importantly, for passengers, transportation scheme is being created.

How to find out a regular flight or charter

home distinguishing feature charter, this is the flight number, or rather, the number of digits in it. 3 digits - regular flight, and 4 - charter. For example:

• UT 533 - regular;
• UT 5335 - charter.

Ticket prices

The cost of tickets for a charter flight depends on many factors: airline tariffs, organizer's mark-up, distance and direction.

Sometimes the organizers specifically sell charter tickets at prices that do not even pay for the cost of renting an aircraft. This makes sense for tour operators when partnership agreements with hotels more than cover these losses.

The cost of tickets for a charter flight, on average, is 30% lower than for a regular one, however, there is only one way to get such tickets - buy a ticket through a tour operator. Separate tickets for charter flights are sold very rarely, as a rule, at the end of the season, when the occupancy is no longer 100%.

If you still found a ticket for a charter flight in free sale, you can save no more than 10%. Here are some examples of prices:

• Direction Moscow - Sochi (June, prices in rubles):
  • As part of the voucher - 7,000;
  • In free sale (Nord Star) - 11,500;
  • Regular flight (Aeroflot) - 13,400;
  • Low-cost airline (Victory) - 10,700.
• Direction Moscow - Simferopol (June, prices in rubles):
  • As part of the voucher - 9 100;
  • In free sale (Azur Air) - 13,750;
  • Regular flight (Ural Airlines) - 13,030.

How to buy a ticket without a ticket?

There are 3 ways to buy a ticket for a charter without a ticket:

• Through special ticket search services. Some examples of such sites:
  • charter24.ru;
  • allcharter.ru;
  • chabooka.ru.
• Through the usual ticket search services, for example, aviasales.ru. Recall that the number of the charter flight consists of four digits.
• On the websites of travel companies that provide such an opportunity:
  • https://www.tez-tour.com/;
  • https://www.bgoperator.ru/price.shtml?action=ticketnew;
  • https://www.natalie-tours.ru/avia/.

How to find?

Find a charter flight different ways. The three most convenient ways are described above, with the help of which you can find and immediately buy tickets for a charter flight, but sometimes situations arise when you need to find tickets for a specific flight, but they are not available for sale.

In such a situation, you can do the following:

• Open the airport's online departure board;
• Find the desired direction in the online scoreboard (use Ctrl + F for easy search on the page);
• Make sure that the flight is a charter one (there must be 4 digits in the number);
• Contact the airline that transports this flight and find out the charter organizer;
• Contact the organizer and purchase a ticket.

Registration

The rules of check-in for a charter flight depend on the specific airline, but the procedure itself is practically the same as check-in for a regular regular flight.

the only important difference are the dates of registration. The fact is that registration for a charter flight does not begin according to a fixed schedule, but only after the organizer submits the final lists of passengers on the flight.

To check in for a charter flight, you must arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before the flight departure. Then you should find the counter of the airline that is the carrier (it is indicated on the ticket or voucher) and hand over your documents to the airline employee. For all your questions, you can contact both the airline and the tour operator.

Online

Unfortunately, due to the nature of charter flights, online registration not always possible. Sometimes travel companies submit lists a few hours before departure, and there is simply no time left for online registration. Fortunately, this rarely happens, and online check-in starts 10-12 hours before departure.

To register online, follow these steps:

• Find information about the carrier in the ticket or in the ticket;
• Go to the official website of the carrier;
• Select the online registration service;
• Enter your ticket details;
• Select locations (if possible);
• Print your boarding pass.

Delay Compensation

Many people think that charter flights are something special, but in fact, it is not. It makes no difference whether the passenger is flying on a scheduled or charter flight, his rights are fully protected by the Consumer Protection Law and specific regulations related to air travel.

Evidence of a flight delay can only be a written confirmation of this fact by the airline or airport. Video recording of an online scoreboard, contrary to many recommendations, cannot be evidence during a trial.

So if a passenger's flight is delayed, he is entitled to free services:

1. two calls;
2. nutrition;
3. hotel accommodation.

And it doesn't matter what caused the delay. Even if the flight is delayed due to difficult weather conditions, the airline is required to comply with the above three points.

Much more difficult is the question monetary compensation for the flight delay. By law, the passenger is entitled after a "serious delay" to receive compensation in the amount of 25% of the minimum wage for each hour of flight delay (but not more than 50% of the ticket price). Unfortunately, airlines do not often go for such a refund voluntarily. And the “seriousness” of the delay is also different for everyone. As a rule, a serious delay is considered to be one that exceeds 12 hours.

In 2018, for a 12-hour delay, you can claim up to 30,000 rubles (but not more than 50% of the ticket price).

If it comes down to litigation, the court usually takes the side of the passenger, but only in cases where the airline could at least do something in order to prevent delay. For example, if the delay is caused by an aircraft breakdown, the court will take the side of the plaintiff, and if the reason is, for example, snowfall and the closure of the air harbor, the side of the airline.

Paradoxically, it is much easier to demand compensation for a delay from a foreign company than from a domestic one. The fact is that they are subject to uniform requirements, and in case of refusal to comply with them, they receive very serious sanctions. If the flight is delayed by 2 hours, the passenger is entitled to compensation in the amount of 250 euros, and the maximum payment is 600 euros (for 6 hours of delay).

Who is responsible for the charter flight

Who will be responsible if something happens during the flight? And what happens if the tour operator goes bankrupt and does not pay for the charter flight?

This question needs to be divided into two parts. For the party connected with the finances and organization of the flight, full responsibility carried by the tour operator. If it suddenly turns out that the airline has not received money for the rental of the aircraft, it has the right to cancel the charter flight, and all questions must be addressed to the tour operator.

If, for example, a passenger enters the cabin of the aircraft, and it turns out that his seat is already taken, only the tour operator will be able to resolve the conflict. If more tickets are sold for the flight than the plane can accommodate, then the airline again has nothing to do with it.

However, if an accident occurs during the flight, for example, a passenger is injured through no fault of his own, he has the right to demand compensation from the airline, because it is fully responsible for the safety of air travel.

All charter flights are insured for the same amounts as regular ones.

Baggage

The rules for carrying baggage on charter flights are specified in the ticket or in the memo to the ticket. They are set by airlines, not flight organizers, since the weight and size of luggage directly affects flight safety. As a general rule, charter flights are allowed to carry more luggage than scheduled flights, as scheduled flights often carry commercial cargo.

Charter flights are a convenient and economical way of travel, which is chosen by millions of passengers around the world. Today it is practically devoid of shortcomings, because safety and comfort are at least at the level of regular regular transportation.

Watch the video about which is better to choose: charter or regular flight?

Modern realities provide an opportunity for everyone 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 offer you to learn the nuances about the specifics of such trips and clarify what this term means.

Let's start with a clear definition, what is a charter 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 the best routes for tourists. Sometimes a similar role is performed by an ordinary independent reseller, who subsequently offers convenient routes for specific travel companies.

A charter flight involves the transportation of passengers on a specific route that is not listed in the schedule

If we compare this way of moving with the usual for many people ground 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 do not appear in the schedules. You can buy tickets here only from a specific travel 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 complete the aircraft for departure. This will require the preparation of the necessary paperwork for the flight of passengers, the preparation of a list of places for reservation, the implementation of a set of related activities.

According to experts, charter flights are a way to reduce the burden on airlines during the holidays of most citizens and peaks. 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 see how true they are.

Charter classification

Charters provide for certain types of flights. Aircraft chartered up to 10 days become the cheapest. They carry out the flight, defend the agreed time and take the passengers back. Experts call this method a sludge charter or a time charter. Let's list other types of such methods of delivering tourists:

• shuttle- regular flights of the aircraft in order to deliver passengers to the required point;
• split- combining a flight with a regular route, involving the transfer of tourists; a path involving more than two transfers is called a poly charter by experts;
• closed flight– corporate transportation of passengers;
• VIP – liner charter for a certain period with the full right of the customer to use the board at his discretion.

Time charters - flights when the board delivers passengers to the desired point, settles there for a specified period and takes people back

In addition, the intermediary has the right to redeem and. This variant is called block charter. This is usually done by operators who do not have a sufficient number of passenger applications to buy the whole board.

Route specifics

People who have used such services talk about the imperfection and low comfort of such flights. But at the same time passengers note the low cost of the trip.

Let us briefly explain the reasons for this phenomenon. Since such routes are bought by an intermediary, and often this is done for commercial purposes, a third party appears here in addition to the carrier and tourists. Coordination of the interests of persons interested in the transaction does not exclude the manifestation of poor organization of the case. As a result, there are likely flight schedule overlays and other nuances.

However, the cheapest flight today is a charter flight. It uses aircraft only with an economy class cabin. The seats here are the same and the number of seats has been increased relative to aircraft operating on a regular route. In addition, the food that is intended for passengers is limited here. This causes frequent complaints from tourists.

There are features with . Regular routes suggest the possibility for a passenger to book a seat or purchase a ticket in advance. A charter is a flight on which an intermediary buys seats, so tickets for such a flight are available only at the time of the flight check-in. However, even here there are exceptions to general rule. We'll discuss them later.

A charter flight differs from a regular flight by 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

We 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 they do not fly. Often a charter becomes the only option to get to exotic and little-known places.
2. Cheap trip. 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 cost of a regular flight.
3. Exclusion of transfers. Here, experts note that this aircraft follows a direct route and this 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 similar view flights in an attractive way for a certain category of tourists. Although we note that such flights are characterized negatively due to the large number of shortcomings. Let's talk about them.

Cons of charter flights

Answering the question: "Charter - what is it?", experts at the same time give an exhaustive description negative aspects this type of flight. There are many disadvantages here - after all, the flight was created by an intermediary solely for commercial purposes. The main disadvantages of this method are:

1. Probability of flight delay or postponement. Because charters do not involve transfers, air traffic controllers prioritize landings and departures for aircraft that operate regular flights to meet schedules.
2. Inability to purchase a ticket in advance. As we said, you can get a seat on such an aircraft only when you check in. In rare exceptions, tickets go on sale immediately before departure or the day before the scheduled flight.
3. Strictly regulated periods of stay at the resort. The specifics of the charter implies specific days of departure from the country, so the passenger will not be able to shorten or increase the trip by buying seats in both directions.
4. Flying in Standard Economy Cabins. The desire of a tourist to travel comfortably in such cases cannot be realized. After all, it does not provide for the possibility of a passenger to change a place to a more prestigious analogue.
5. Impossibility of refund for the purchased ticket. In the event of force majeure, the passenger will not return the ticket. Refunds are also not possible. The redeemed place allows only re-registration to another person.
6. No accounting for bonuses. This way of flying does not involve the accrual of bonus miles, as for regular flights.

Given the numerous downsides of chartering, many people are wary of these forms 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 the general specifics of the flight, and now we will dwell in more detail on the nuances of buying seats for such flights.

Features of buying air tickets

Since the entire flight is bought by an intermediary, the purchase of seats here has a separate specificity. When chartering a board, a travel company calculates the payback of the transaction. It is profitable for the company to sell everything charter flights. What does this mean? Experts talk about lack of general access to purchase these securities. Although today intermediaries place unsold balances of tickets on specialized portals. You can visit one of them by clicking on 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. After all, if the vessel is not full enough, the flight is postponed for a certain period. And changing the airport with the time of departure is not uncommon here. An independent purchase of an air ticket is possible only two days before the planned trip. it is rare here, sometimes operators use this technique, but only a day before departure.

Expert opinion

There are many misconceptions of passengers regarding this flight option. Most people are sure that only outdated liners make such transportations. Experts categorically disagree with this statement. Charters provide for flights by 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 determines the flight range. In addition, if the liner is delayed, passengers have the right to use the service provided by the carrier airline - free meals at the airport and accommodation for the night in case of serious violations of the travel schedule.

Some tourists characterize the charter flight negatively because of the possibility of canceling the trip. Experts are convinced of the opposite opinion. With full payment for the seat, the passenger will be delivered to their destination. True, the departure time is significantly shifted. Of course, for people who have strict time limits, such rules are tantamount to canceling a flight without refunding material compensation.

Existing restrictions on the carriage of luggage are also the reason for the widespread opinion that it is forbidden to carry things on such flights. Here, the experts are talking about the established limits, and not about the complete restriction. This point depends on the particular airline. After all, economy class travel involves rationing passengers' luggage..

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

The review quite fully characterizes the specifics and nuances of this method of travel. Readers after reading the material have the right to independently draw conclusions and determine the feasibility of such trips. After all, the lack of high-class service and the listed inconveniences are compensated by the price of the flight and the ability to directly follow the route that the airlines do not offer.

A charter flight involves the transportation of passengers on a specific route, which is not listed in the schedule, on a pre-chartered aircraft
Experts call the cheapest option for such flights time charters - flights when the board delivers passengers to the desired point, settles there for a specified period and takes people back
A charter flight differs from a regular flight by 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
The lack of business class seats in the cabin and the low comfort of transportation are considered by many people to be a serious disadvantage of charters.
Usually you can get a ticket for a charter flight only during check-in