Air charter

Booking an air charter

A charter flight takes you where scheduled airlines don’t go, at the time you choose. Typical charters in South Africa include business trips to towns without regular flights, transfers to game lodges with their own airstrips, medical and urgent trips, and scenic flights by plane or helicopter.

Check the operator, not only the price

Every company that sells charter flights must hold an air operator certificate (AOC) from the SACAA for the kind of flying it does. Small aeroplane charters carrying fewer than 20 passengers fall under Part 135 of the Civil Aviation Regulations, and commercial helicopter flights carrying passengers under Part 127. Some companies sell seats on aircraft run by another operator, which is legal, but you should know who is actually flying you.

Ask:

• Who is the operator, and what is their AOC number?
• Which aircraft will fly, and how many seats does it have? A quote for a six-seater is not the same as one for a helicopter.
• What does the price include? Ask about landing fees, waiting time if the aircraft stays with you, positioning flights to and from the operator’s base, and fuel surcharges.

Luggage and weather

Small aircraft have strict weight limits, and many lodges and helicopters only accept soft bags. Ask for the limit per person, including hand luggage, and tell the operator about anything unusual early.

Light aircraft fly mostly by sight, so weather can delay or cancel a flight. Ask what happens if it does, whether you can move the date, and what you pay.

Where to look

Charter operators are usually based at a regional airport and fly anywhere from there. See air charter in Nelspruit for flights in Mpumalanga and the Kruger area, or browse all aviation ads.

Written by the Find4U team at QX Software in Pretoria. We read every website before its ad runs.