Charter flight: what is it and how is it different from a regular one? Charter flight on air transport - what is it

To get somewhere very quickly, especially at the height of the holiday season, you need to use the services of airlines. Large companies offer regular flights. They do not change, they have a constant flight schedule, a stable schedule, as you can see on the website flyinsky.ru

Any regular flight will be completed regardless of the load of passengers, even if there is only one person with a ticket. Tickets that are sold for regular flights are usually divided into three classes: business class, economy class and first class. It all depends on what means the passenger has.

Differences in flight classes

Economy class tickets are much cheaper, but you don't have to rely on luxury service. By purchasing a first class ticket, a person automatically gets the right to wait for the aircraft not in the common airport building, but in a specially designated place for VIPs.

Business class is not available on all aircraft. Usually this is a small compartment on the plane with comfortable seats and all the necessary amenities. For business class passengers, there is a special menu, various technical devices for a more comfortable flight, and much more.

To save some money on a flight, you can use a program that provides discounts for pensioners or for youth. It is not necessary to purchase a ticket for both sides of the flight at once.

Charter flights are carried out by the same airlines as regular flights, only smaller aircraft are selected for the flight. Charters exist as an addition to the main routes. Usually these are seasonal flights and they are associated with a large number of vacationers. Charter flights are carried out and organized by tour operators. They can work together and hire (charter) the same aircraft for the flight. If earlier tour operators and travel companies worked together very rarely due to competition, now, in a difficult time for the entire tourism industry, they are increasingly joining forces and actively cooperating.

Ticket prices for charter and regular flights

The cost of a charter ticket is much lower than for regular flights. This is of course a big plus. In addition, regular planes do not always fly exactly where passengers need to go, unless it concerns the most elite resorts. Charter flights are carried out as an addition to regular ones, and work in a chain, that is, some passengers are delivered to their destination, while others are picked up. This is some inconvenience for vacationers, since you can fly back only on those days when the voucher expires.

During a charter flight, the passenger is not provided with any special conditions. If the board is not fully loaded, the flight is delayed, and the passenger may sometimes lose a day or two indicated in the tourist tour.

Regular flights are expensive, and only natural disasters can disrupt the schedule or cancel a flight. Charters fly between the main flights, so they have to constantly adjust to them.

Passengers will not be right to complain to a travel company about late departures and departures, since big airlines conclude a flight contract with operators, not travel agencies, and they are responsible for the competent organization of flights.

When choosing one or another type of flight, you should think about what is more important - to arrive on time to the right place, or to save money on the flight.

Surely you have repeatedly heard phrases like: “I had to get on a charter”, “I saved a lot on a charter”, “Charter flights from Moscow are profitable and convenient!”

And what is this mysterious charter and how is it different from the usual one? No one needs to explain what regular flights are. Schedules are posted at airports and airline websites, and anyone who wants to get from point A to point B chooses a suitable flight for himself and purchases a ticket for it.

What about a charter flight? It is easiest to call charter flights one-time. The consolidator company, namely the so-called charter organizers, charters an aircraft from the airline and sends it on a special basis. Most often, travel companies act as consolidators. And this is understandable, since a sufficient number of people usually go on tours at the same time. Therefore, it is convenient for tour operators to charter a plane at the beginning of the season and then send their clients on almost their own aircraft, without worrying about pre-booking tickets.

So we found out what a charter flight is. Now let's move on to why the cost of tickets for them is lower than for regular flights. A regular flight included in the general flight schedule must depart regardless of how full the cabin is. Even if only a few tickets are purchased, it will still take off. And the cost of one flight of an aircraft is equal to the sum with six zeros. And airlines, in order not to suffer too obvious losses, raise the price of tickets.

The charter is always full by definition. It is simply not included in the schedule if all or the vast majority of seats on it are not sold. But from this follows the minus of such flights. What is the downside here? Now let's explain.

What is a charter flight and why it costs less, we already know. At first glance, this is a very profitable service - to charter an entire aircraft and send passengers on it to where the charterer needs. But what to do if the required number of passengers is not recruited? Wait until the missing wishers are found? This is not an option, as time, as everyone knows, is money. And the time that a paid plane spends on the ground is money thrown away. Therefore, operators can sell a ticket for a charter flight even without buying a tour. But a passenger who has bought such a ticket must be prepared for the fact that he will not be able to get to his destination at the time he needs. Charter flights, figuratively speaking, are the stepchildren of airports. They are delayed most often, giving priority to regular flights. Therefore, after reading the schedule of charter flights at Domodedovo, immediately add a few hours to the arrival time. And only after that decide whether such a flight will definitely be beneficial for you.

By the way, those passengers who know well what a charter flight is, they also know one more trick that allows them to save on the ticket price. If it is more profitable to purchase tickets for regular flights long before the departure date, then the cost of a charter flight on the eve of the flight may turn out to be significantly cheaper than when ordering a week in advance. Tour operators tend to sell tickets for all available seats on the plane. If there are still unsold tickets, and it is simply impossible to postpone the flight, then the price for them falls very rapidly.

Going on vacation, someone buys a ticket on their own, someone trusts this process to a tour operator, buying a ready-made "plastic bag" flight - hotel. In this case, we are often talking about charter flights. What does a charter flight mean? What are its pros and cons? Where can I buy it and how to save on it.

For those who want to get from point A to point B, there are two types of flights:

• regular;
• charter.

It is far from always possible to meet a regular flight on the A-B route. Sometimes it looks like A-B-C or A-B-C-C. This situation does not suit many tourists who do not want to overpay and waste time at other airports.

Even more, this does not suit tour operators who need direct flights to popular resorts. After all, a connecting flight for them will cost more, which means that tourists will not want to buy a tour at a price 1.5-2 times higher because of an expensive flight.

Tour operators negotiate with airlines and airports to create direct flights to the places where they send their tourists. Thus reducing the ticket price to the maximum.

That is why some amateur travelers scorn "batch" tourists, excluding them as such. After all, they do not think over the route, do not look for profitable flights. They just buy a ready-made tour. But this option is in constant demand among the majority, so charters have flown, fly and will fly.

Charter flight - what does it mean? Any flight that is operated on request. Any company can book a plane. Why, even you can order an individual charter, of course, if you have the money for it.

In the 90s, many airlines, in an effort to make money, switched to charters. The number of regular flights has been reduced several times. The savings reached the point of absurdity. Many more people were stuffed into the plane, which was contrary to security measures. They took out old planes with defects. Technicians did not have time to inspect them before the flight. Passengers were not fed, or fed very poorly. Now the situation has somewhat changed for the better.

Charter pros:

• charter flight in 95% of cases will be direct. After all, the tenant needs to get to the destination as soon as possible;
• it is cheaper than regular. The tour operator negotiates with the air carrier individually and reduces the cost of the flight as much as possible so that the final tour costs less;
• the opportunity to get to those places where regular flights do not fly.

Cons of charters:

• irregularity, it is done when it is convenient for the tour operator;
• inconvenient time, because charters are usually “released” in the intervals between regular flights;
• rescheduling charter flights is a scourge for tourists. Sometimes people spend up to 1.5-2 days at the airport and lose precious vacation days, money and nerves;
• you will not be able to return, exchange an air ticket for a charter. That is why many tour operators do not refund money for tours if you refuse to fly 1-2 days before departure. After all, they have already spent them;
• not everyone knows about this point. Bonus miles are credited only on regular airline flights;
• You can buy a ticket for a charter only through a tour operator.

How charter flights work

Let's take a flight as an example. Moscow-Antalya. On the Turkish coast, there are a huge number of hotels that are waiting for tourists.

1. The tour operator plans to load tourists in the direction of Moscow-Antalya.
2. Negotiates with the airline and airports to conduct a charter flight along the route.
3. Sells tickets to tourists.
4. If the planned loading is not justified, it sells flights at a reduced price.

But it’s not always easy to buy a ticket from a tour operator. Usually they only sell them in conjunction with tours. There are times when the cost of a regular flight is higher than the cost of a charter along with the cheapest tour (for 3-4 days in a 2*-3* hotel).

How to save on a charter?

Search, search, search. Some tour operators sell tickets separately. The closer the departure date, the cheaper the flight will cost. But be aware of the cons. It cannot be canceled or rescheduled. You can arrive at an inconvenient time or wait at the airport for several hours. If you are not afraid of difficulties, then a charter is what you need.

It is almost impossible to find a charter flight for free sale on airline ticket aggregator websites. To do this, he must perform a joint connecting flight with another campaign. Therefore, if you are looking for a cheap air ticket, look at the sites of tour operators.

Happy travels!

Regular flights have an advantage on the runway: in the event of an overload, they will be sent first of all, and the passengers of the "charters" will have to sit waiting for their turn.

All possible risks are usually included in the price of a regular flight, hence such a “biting” ticket price. True, you can be sure that the plane will fly, even if it has an incomplete load of passengers. True, from time to time airlines arrange a sale of tickets at low prices, with good discounts - and then it becomes possible to fly, say, to Europe for ridiculous money. In addition, if you purchase tickets for scheduled flights yourself, you choose your preferred departure time, favorable tariff, use various discounts (for example, for youth, for students, for pensioners). And also, if the airline has a bonus program, count miles for yourself, which in the future may turn into a free ticket for you.

Charter flights

They are carried out by the same airlines as regular ones, but their owner (consolidator), customer and lessee is most often a large tour operator, which “raises” the aircraft in a certain direction. Therefore, tickets for the "charts" are most often included in the standard "tour package".

Further, the tour operator can dispose of the sale of seats on the plane at its discretion: it can keep everything for itself, or it can sell part under contracts to other travel agencies, companies or individuals. Sometimes tour operators unite, allocate a quota of seats and charter an aircraft jointly. By the way, the word "charter" comes from the English charter - freight, rent. Sometimes the tour operator that buys the charter then sells the seats to other tour operators, and if after that there are empty seats, then the ticket can be bought on free sale.

"Charters" appeared in our country with the development of external tourism - when it turned out that there were much more people who wanted to fly to distant countries than regular flights could provide. In addition, regular flights simply do not fly to a number of popular beach resorts or their number is minimal.

The frequency of flights depends on the seasonal needs of travel agencies and the workload of this line. For example, "charters", say, to Spain and Italy are seasonal - they start at the end of April and end with the end of the beach season, in October.

The type of aircraft also depends on the number of passengers: it can be either a Tu-154 or a Boeing, depending on how many tickets will be sold and for which direction. Charters fly in "windows" between regular flights and are carried out in the form of a "chain": they deliver new tourists and immediately take away the previous ones.

The main plus of "charters" - But be prepared for the fact that if you bought a ticket on your own, and not as part of a tour package, then, in which case, you are unlikely to be able to return its cost. However, the same "non-refundable fare" is also available on regular airlines - in the event that you buy a ticket at a low cost.

Tourists who purchase a complete tour package, which includes a charter flight, have the opportunity to cancel the purchase without such financial losses. Operators provide for penalties for this, which are specified in the contract with the agency, but they are not directly related to the cost of air tickets, but depend on the number of days left before the start of the trip. Each company sets its own penalties, so when booking a tour, be sure to ask about these conditions. The exception is the "high" seasons - New Year, national holidays, school holidays: if on these dates you cancel the trip in less than 30 days, the fine will be 80-100%.

The disadvantages of charter flights that cause inconvenience to passengers can also include the following:

Inconvenient departure and arrival times. Although the time is usually known when booking a tour, it can change even on the very last day. And not always in your favor. If a flight is moved from morning to evening, you lose a rest day. And if back, too, by the morning flight, then as many as two. With a very early departure (respectively, arrival), you will have to wait several hours before checking into the room. In case of late - either pay extra for the extension of the room, or, leaving your luggage in a special room at the hotel, languish in anticipation of departure.

Flight delay. In this case, we are talking about a delay due to technical reasons, and not due to bad weather. Of course, flights are delayed on regular flights, but this happens more often with charter flights. In case of a failure in the schedule or an overload of the airfield (as we wrote about above), regular flights will be sent first. In the event of an aircraft malfunction, passengers will most likely have to wait for troubleshooting - reserve boards, as on regular lines, cannot be expected.

Things to Remember

Very often, tourists address their dissatisfaction with a charter flight to tour operators and travel agencies in which they purchased the tour. But an air ticket issued in your name, according to Sec. XV, Art. 103, 105 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation - this is an air transportation agreement between you and the airline. So for all the inconvenience caused to you the carrier is responsible.

Air travel allows us to quickly and comfortably get to almost anywhere in the world. But why, when purchasing a tour through an agency, do we get tickets for a charter? Whereas individual travel for a personal or business plan, in most cases, are made by regular flights. Of course, the advantages of the latter are familiar to many experienced conquerors of airspace firsthand. However, the lion's share of average Russians is still at a loss as to how a charter differs from a regular flight. The answer to this question will be given in our article.

Definitions

Charter- an agreement between the charterer (tenant) and the owner of the vehicle for its full or partial lease. In the context of air transportation, this term means an air flight performed outside the regular schedule under a pre-arranged deal between the carrier and the tour operator. In most cases, charter passengers are travelers flying to popular resorts. Meals and service are included in the ticket price, which, by the way, is very affordable. Since the charter flight is organized at the expense and under the guarantee of the customer, the carrier does not risk anything at all. Having an agreement on hand confirming timely payment, he can reduce the price of the ship's haul without worrying about underload. Thus, both the customer and the shipowner benefit. Only the latter does not risk anything, while the tour operator may incur losses in case of a shortage of passengers. If tickets are not sold very actively, he has the right to attract other travel organizers by providing them with part of the seats for sale.

Regular flight- departure of an aircraft of a specific airline, made strictly according to the schedule. Organized on an ongoing basis. That is, regular flights are operated year-round in accordance with a clear schedule. However, they cannot be canceled even if there is only one passenger on board. Obviously, in such situations, the airline incurs significant losses, on the other hand, its reputation is at stake. It should be noted that regular flights are quite expensive. However, due to the high competition in the air services market, many carriers announce special discounts for their customers. Preferential categories, as a rule, include children, pensioners and students. In addition, the earlier a ticket for a regular flight is purchased, the cheaper it will cost. Ideally, it is recommended to make a purchase 3-6 months before departure. Whereas as the departure date approaches, the price will only increase.

Comparison

These types of flights differ in a number of parameters, which we will discuss in more detail. As mentioned above, regular flights are carried out on an ongoing basis throughout the year according to the schedule. In this regard, they are organized far from all, but only along cost-effective routes. Take the Indian island of Goa as an example. Despite the popularity of this destination, a regular flight to those latitudes is unlikely to ever be launched. After all, you can relax at the resort only from October to April. In other months, due to worsening weather conditions, travelers simply do not fly there. That is why you can directly get to Goa only by a charter flight, which starts with the start of the holiday season. Thus, such flights are made only on popular tourist routes at certain times of the year. They do not have a clear schedule and are produced "in windows" between scheduled flights. Their organizer is a tour operator.

Charter tickets cannot be purchased at the box office, they are bought through an agency and issued to the passenger two days before the start of the trip. Whereas you can get a “voucher” for a regular air flight at any official point of sale. From a legal point of view, it is a contract for the provision of services, which cannot be said about a charter ticket. The passenger of the latter cannot make claims to the airline in the event of a flight disruption.

Another difference between a charter flight and a regular flight is that the first one is often delayed. That is, the aircraft often takes off 10-20 hours later than the declared departure time. This is explained by the fact that in the event of an emergency situation at the airport, regular flights are the first to be launched.

A charter always involves a direct flight without transfers. Moreover, the departure time is set either in the early morning or in the late evening. In this regard, tourists often lose almost a day of a good rest. Regular flights usually follow during the day. In case of unforeseen circumstances, the ticket bought on them can be returned back and receive a certain percentage of the cost. As mentioned above, a regular flight will cost the traveler much more than a charter flight. Moreover, in the first case, as the departure date approaches, the price will increase, and in the second, on the contrary, it will decrease. It is worth noting that it will simply not be possible to return a ticket purchased through a tour operator.

Another important point: charters do not imply division into classes. All tourists are on an equal footing. This is due to the desire to increase the profitability of the flight. Moreover, often additional rows of seats are installed in airplanes, which does not have the best effect on the comfort of passengers. Often, charter flights are made in multiples of seven days, based on the duration of standard tours. Regular flights depart with a wide variety of frequencies. Planes on one route can leave several times a day, and on the second - only once a week. It all depends on the popularity of the direction. Seats on regular flights are ranked by class: first, business and economy. This creates additional convenience for people with high incomes.

To summarize, what is the difference between a charter and a regular flight.