What is a Charter flight
In order to understand the intricacies of the financial side of the Charter flight, you need to start to understand what it is. So a Charter flight is a deliberate ordering by anyone of a Charter at a certain time on the desired route. It Charter flights normally carry students to the conference, athletes at competitions, tourists on vacation and so on. Because the main customers were large firms, for example, will be better all subtleties of this business.
The main feature of the Charter flight is the risk of the customer. He pre-pays for the seat and that's why pilots don't care how many people is flying in the cabin fifteen. Firms, for example, usually order the wholesale Charter, focusing on the statistics of flights. For this wholesale airline discounts travel agents, which significantly reduces their financial costs.
The scheme is simple and straightforward – the tour operator reserves an aircraft for a certain time, signing a contract with the airline. Sometimes all tickets for the Charter leave the travel Agency, sometimes some of them are sold to smaller companies or individuals.
Most planes fly as a Charter and regular route, bring tourists to the resort, and take the previous group of people.
Features Charter flights for passengers
If with travel agencies it is clear – Charter flights give them as a guarantee that at the right time, the plane will fly, and the risk that there will be nobody to fly, what benefits does the passenger?
First, many resorts can only be reached by Charter planes. For example, Antalya, Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh and most of the Greek Islands only accepts Charter aircraft.
Secondly, it is profitable. As is clear, the travel Agency buys tickets for Charter plane in bulk, and the airline makes no difference how many people will fly in the cabin – after all pre paid. That is why quite often there are situations when a tour operator tries though how to reimburse their costs on unprofitable ordering and selling tickets with a good discount. So, a few days before the intended date of departure, you can find cheap tickets at any major travel Agency or on the pages of the companies involved in the sale of tickets for Charter flights.
However, for the airline's regular flights have a distinct advantage over the Charter. This means, if the schedule encounter any problems in the first place will receive scheduled flights, and only then Charter. Yes, and the arrival time is usually uncomfortable for the passenger. In the hotels check in usually occurs in 12-14 hours a day and because of this, you can lose almost a whole day waiting.
The possibility of a return ticket
Remained the main question – can I return the tickets? After all, no one is immune from that trip will have to reschedule for some time or go back to the resort earlier than planned. If you bought tickets for a regular flight, the answer is obvious – Yes, of course. If you submit tickets for 24 hours, you do not lose anything.
However, with Charter flights, the situation is different. You enter into a contract with the carrier (airline) and a travel Agency. And they are in the contracts usually specify that the tickets for Charter flights are non-refundable. Of course, it is beneficial to the tour operator and not the passenger.
By the way, some foreign companies insure themselves in this way. This usually occurs during the discounts on tickets.
