Shared charter.

What does Shared charter mean in practice?

Shared charter is how friends, families and business groups reduce the cost of a private flight.

The aircraft is chartered as a single entity; the passengers agree among themselves how to divide the price. Some brokers also offer to match unrelated travellers on the same empty leg or route, which can cut the cost per person substantially. The legal point to understand is who the charterer is. One person or company usually signs the charter agreement and is liable for the whole price; the others are that person's guests. If a guest drops out, the charterer still owes the full amount. Selling individual seats to the public is a different regulated activity, and in the United States requires public charter authority under Part 380, so be wary of any informal arrangement where a stranger sells you a seat. Where a broker matches travellers, ask how payment, cancellation and no-shows are handled before you commit.

Questions