This is undoubtedly one question most of us keep asking ourselves deep inside, without the courage to ask it out loud. The reason is simple when you hear the term ‘private jet’ or ‘private aircraft’, mostly what comes into your mind is the thought that it can only happen with the rich people or people of affluence. Otherwise, who else will go hiring a private jet if they can go ahead and hire a private car for the same purposes? These are all assumptions because it may either be way cheaper than we thought or our thoughts may be confirmed on the affirmative. But wait, jet fuel itself is expensive, so the chances of hiring a private jet being very expensive are higher than otherwise.
Reasons for Hiring a Private Aircraft
What exactly, would make someone book a private jet flight in a place they can access public air travel? And is it the same as ordering for a private limo or something like that?
The first reason someone could possibly charter a private jet is their social class. We are all different in our social placements, and it is totally understandable that the president, for instance, can charter a private aircraft and an ordinary person cannot. The social caste has rightfully placed the dignitaries and celebrities at that position.
Another reason is affluence. Rich people who can afford to charter a private jet to fly around and run their businesses can easily do so because they have what it takes; the money. Some of them might not necessarily be from the ruling class, or the celebrity caste, though.
You can also charter a private aircraft if you care about your privacy so much as to want to safeguard yourself from the public. Public and regularly scheduled flights often display the information of their clients as should. But some people want their privacy and do not wish for the prying eye of the public to know where they fly to, when, and at what time. The best option then is to book a private jet flight.
Sometimes in your life, urgency becomes a matter you cannot just ignore. As such, you may not have the luxury of waiting around for a public aircraft to fill up before takeoff, when you have the chance to book a private jet flight that can take off at and as when you need it to. It might be costly, yes, but if you weigh options and it is the best option, go for it.
Private Aircraft are often chartered by groups who wish to travel to and from an event together. Members of the same organization, for example, of members of a football club, often take to private flying mainly for convenience. The same could happen with members of a soccer club, or a special government envoy, for example.
What is the Cost of Hiring a Private Aircraft?
Having said all of the above, how much then, do you think it costs to hire a private jet flight? To better understand this, let us break it into smaller portions.
The first part is the cost of jet fuel. This is the most expensive part of hiring a jet, even if it is usually stated as the hourly cost. Aircraft consume a lot of fuel as it is, even more, when you are going to be charged per hour. Most private jets are charged per hour and there is a bare minimum of two hours; it is pretty expensive to fuel a jet whose engine will be running for two hours non stop.
Ramp fees also matter when hiring a private jet. In short, these are the fees that accrue when the jet remains parked at an airport for a given period of time. These could also be charged on an hourly basis but are flexible.
Segment fees are also applicable when hiring a private aircraft. These are taxes imposed on you by the government that is calculated per passenger on board. Most companies have a fixed figure, but again, this might change.
The Federal Exercise Tax is also included in your total cost of hiring the private jet you want to. These are calculated by the chartering company.
Included in the cost of hiring a private aircraft, are the airport landing fees. These fees vary from airport to airport but generally, depend largely on the size and weight of the specific aircraft.
Crew fees may be incorporated into the overall cost of hiring a private aircraft, but they will depend on the diversity of the trip’s itinerary, and cover per diems and overnight fees.
There are some companies that charge waiting time fees, incurred when the plane is not flying, within the time it is supposed to be flying.
Other minor, common fees include the short leg fees as well as the repositioning fees.
In a nutshell, hiring a private jet is costly, because it has too many charges attached to it, that in the end, it may sum up to a crazy figure.
That said, hiring a private jet, according to experts may cost you an approximated range of between $1,200 and $8,500 per flight hour! Bear in mind that you can only hire a plane for not less than two hours minimum.
So, How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Private Aircraft?
The sum total cost of hiring a private jet largely depends on the type of aircraft you book. The size of the plane also matters greatly, as larger planes tend to have larger engines that translate to higher fuel consumption and ultimately higher charges of hiring the plane. It is of importance to point out that the above-stated fees do not include the simple minor charges like the deadhead fees, the repositioning fees, relevant applicable taxes, landing fees among other minor charges. Since this is only an approximated value, it is vital to talk to your travel agency or broker to furnish you with the in-depth invoice for clarity and to avoid overriding any small charges that eventually impact the overall total amount.
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