CapJet: Common myths about charter flights

• Only rock stars and wealthy people fly charter.
Charter flights are for anyone who appreciates efficiency and who hates being at the mercy of someone else's schedule. Charter is for anyone who believes their time is of value. Charter is about getting a job done in one day that would otherwise take two to three days because of major airline schedules.

• Charter aircraft are small, cramped and uncomfortable.
Depending on the aircraft you choose, you could find yourself in a spacious cabin with eight club seats, private lavatory and fully-stocked galley.

• Charter flights take longer than scheduled airline flights.
A chartered jet aircraft can fly from Dallas to Chicago in less than two hours. Consider that charter flights don't require you to stand in long lines, nor do you have to wait in the terminal for a flight that has been delayed. Drive up, hand your bags to the flight crew and climb aboard. When you arrive at your destination, the ground transportation you requested is waiting.

• Flying with a major carrier is safer.
Not necessarily so. Charter operators are held to the same safety standards as the major airlines. When you fly with CapJet, you can rest assured that any aircraft we fly has been meticulously maintained, that it includes all the necessary safety equipment and that we have checked the aircraft thoroughly and monitored the weather.

• Pilots who work for the big carriers are more competent than charter pilots.
Pilots who work for CapJet have the same instrument ratings as pilots who work for the major airlines. They keep their skills current by attending classes and training as often as possible.

• If I charter a flight, I don't have to worry about baggage restrictions.
Unfortunately, there will always be restrictions on the size and types of baggage that can be accommodated on any flight. Skis and golf bags are among the most difficult items for charter operators to handle on small aircraft. On large, corporate jets, baggage is not a major concern. The size and number of bags you plan to bring must be discussed in advance with your charter operator.

• My company can't afford the cost of a charter flight.
Cost is dependent on a number of factors including where you need to go, how many people are traveling and the type of aircraft you need. Overnight layovers, loss of productivity and wear and tear on company representatives may make charter the most cost-efficient choice. Getting a quote from CapJet is easy and free.

• Rather than buy my own plane, I should take advantage of "fractionalized ownership."

Fractionalized ownership agreements are not always a good idea. When you buy into a fractionalized ownership contract, you purchase a plane with a group of people, usually four to eight. If you buy in with seven other people, you own one eighth of the aircraft for the term of your contract, much like a car lease agreement. The company with which you contract has many planes that are purchased on fractionalized contracts. When you need to fly, there is no guarantee you will fly on the new plane you bought into. You'll fly on one of the available aircraft. In addition to putting up a large sum of money, you pay an hourly fee for the flights you take, and you'll pay a large sum for yearly management of the aircraft, perhaps as much as $10,000. You should receive a certain percentage of your up-front money at the end of your contract, sometimes as much as 85 percent. Certain factors, such as the number of used planes in the marketplace, can affect how much you actually receive. After 9/11, many people lost money on fractionalized ownership contracts because aircraft owners sold out and flooded the market with used planes.