General Facts about Charter Buses
Using different types of transport other than a personal vehicle is becoming more popular today as people are more aware of the environmental benefits of the process. Therefore it is essential to remember that knowing more about charter buses and how useful they can be is vital for many people.
Charter buses are the type of buses which are rented by individuals or organizations to move a group of people to a certain destination. Charter buses usually cater to large groups and are indispensable when there are events taking place far away from one’s home. These are perfect solutions for students going on field trips or theatre outings, sportsmen going on tournaments and competitions, corporate business people attending conventions and conferences, etc.
Charter bus services are usually provided by private transportation companies and therefore they differ greatly from public transport. The service is easily customizable and in unique cases provisions may be made to accommodate smaller groups of individuals such as traveller companies or people going to private parties.
The comforts of charter buses are also well known and may include air conditioning, high tech entertainment systems, comfortable easily reclining chairs, catering services and so on.
Every charter company tries to deliver the best services to their customers. The commercialized nature of the enterprise means that the needs of every client are met to the maximum capacity. It is possible to negotiate all the details of the transportation event in advance and make sure the whole group is enjoying the trip.
Charter Flights Explained
Charter flights have generally been used in the past to carry holidaymakers to their destination, usually when they have booked a holiday package that includes flights, accommodation and the like. The laws regarding charter flights have however changed. If you want to make use of an air charter company for your travels, you do not have to book through a travel agency who will try and sell you the whole holiday package.
Many businesspeople these days tend to make use of air charters. Using this type of air transportation, you can enjoy your flying so much more as you don’t have to worry about who you are going to sit next to, or having to stand in queues to get onto the plan.
If you are looking to make use of charter flights, there are a number of things that you need to look out for. Firstly, in this day and age, making use of the Internet has increased so much because it makes our lives so much easier. Make sure that you look for a company that will allow you to do all of your searches online.
Some companies will allow you to search and plan your trips online according to price, or even according to schedule. If you don’t have a specific need to fly at specific times, you should find that the prices are cheaper. Make sure that the charter company has an online customer service that allows for 24 hour, 7 day a week help when it comes to any of those queries you may have.
One of the most important aspects to look at is most definitely, safety. Make sure that the company you work through has operators that are chosen from FAA Certified Part 135 Air Charter Carriers. If they have more standards than just the regular FAA requirements, then even better because then you can have absolute peace of mind.
It’s also important to be able to choose from a huge range of aircraft when you do travel. It is highly recommended that you are able to see pictures of the aircraft that you will be flying in and that you are given all of the specs that aircraft has.
It is always an added benefit to be able to choose from a variety of different sized aircraft. There is no point in having to make use of a plane that carries 12 people when you only need a plane that carries 6 people. That would obviously increase the cost per person.
Making use of a company that has full or fractional jet ownership, or flight card programs can be more expensive than making use of companies that don’t own their own aircraft. The reason for this is that they can source the most economical flights available for you to make use of.
Once you have found a company that offers charter flights that encompasses all of the above necessities, you should definitely be more than happy making use of them, be it for travel of private purposes.
Charter Flights Gaining Altitude
Like Jolie, Brad, and the kids winging off to $35 million estate for some rest and relaxation in the South of France, charter flights inevitably evoke images of wealth, glamor and celebrity. Money fuels the world of private jets and the prestige of it all merely adds to the allure.
Truthfully, private jets are as common in little American airports like Horseshoe Bend, North Folk Valley, Mackinac Island, and Turners Falls as they are in the South of France. These are airports near the plants, warehouses, and facilities of companies large and small. They research, manufacture, and sell products the world needs and desires.
Jon M. Boyd, a flight service sales and marketing director at Westchester County Airport in New York, says, “Businesses with plants in various locations, people that multiply their time by visiting a half-dozen plants in a day or two instead of a week, they’re our backbone, our strength.” More often than not, charter flights are a matter of time.
Is time better invested in a half-dozen employees preparing for a meeting on a jet with every boardroom amenity at their fingertips or with those employees stalled in security, waiting to board a plane, or stuck on a runway at the mercy of air traffic control? For some, time is the most valuable commodity.
The nation’s commercial airline industry took a major hit in the wake of 9/11. This was also evident in the business of renting jets. Next came the Great Recession of 2008, with rising fuel prices and environmental emission regulations adding to the travails. Then came the Big 3 auto company CEOs flying on executive jets to Washington to plead for taxpayer bailouts.
“That was the nadir,” lamented an owner of a small fleet of planes. It was four long years before what used to be the ultimate status symbol got another look. With burgeoning lines at airport security, soaring airfares, scrambled air routes and flight delays everywhere, companies began to reconsider chartering. Prices had been cut. Flight-sharing opportunities were abundant. Social networking plans and campaigns were all over Facebook.
“The private jet industry isn’t going back to its peak of the late 1990s, but anything’s better than where we are,” said one analyst. Currently, the charter flight industry is indeed much better off than it was three years ago. According to Private Jet Services, a worldwide private aviation consulting firm, the 2015 market outlook forecasts steady growth of the private jet charter market, particularly for business use.
The report also says commercial flights are trending to more seats and less comfort for passengers. Today, charters with six to 150 seats are available for $1,500 to $5,000 per hour of operation. Additional costs apply, depending on aircraft type, airport locations, and various other associated fees and choices.
What’s the most important consideration of all? Unlike the 500 U.S. airports available for commercial airlines, more than 5,000 are waiting to serve private planes, ensuring that regardless of the point of arrival or departure, an airport is always nearby. As one analyst noted after comparing the relative costs of commercial versus charter flights, “The old adage still holds true. Time is money.”
Super Bowl Charters
When you think of airline travel you have two choices. You can either fly commercial or you can charter a plane to get you where you want to be. Both get you to your destination, but have wildly different takes on airline travel. If you are going on a business trip, chartering a jet can allow you to conduct meetings and work en route.
But what about for a family vacation or a weekend away? Yes, you can charter to that, and what if you charter to football’s biggest game, the Super Bowl? If you don’t live near the stadium where the game is to be played, why not?
The Super Bowl is an annual event, played on the first Sunday in February and features the winners of the AFC against the winners of the NFC. Back in the day, the AFC and the NFL were rival leagues but they merged in 1970 to form what we know today as the NFL. While the merger was taking shape, they agreed that the winners of both leagues would play a championship game and the Super Bowl was born.
The first edition of the ‘big game’ was played in 1967. To be fancy and to stand out, each game after was known by the Roman Numeral for its number, all except Super Bowl 50 which used the numeric in their logo. Another interesting fact about football’s biggest game is that in odd numbered games the winners of the NFC are granted the home team, while in even numbered games that nod goes to the winners of the AFC.
It is also a neat fact that no team has ever played a Super Bowl in their home stadium. In fact, there are four teams that have never played in that game at all. Detroit, Cleveland, Jacksonville and the Houston Texans have never got to that all exciting final game of the season. Teams that have seen success though include Pittsburgh with 6 wins and both Dallas and San Francisco who have 4 wins each.
So, if you don’t live in the designated Super Bowl city, charter your way there. You’ll be happy you did, as you can design a schedule, you will have plenty of leg, shoulder, head and elbow room and you can configure the cabin any way your heart desires. Throw in the lack of long security lines and we have a winner!
