Priority Air Charter

A priority air charter is the hire of a whole aircraft to move freight against a deadline that scheduled flights cannot meet. The aircraft departs when the freight is ready and flies directly to an airport near the destination, with trucks handling pickup and final delivery. Because no other freight is aboard and there are no connections, the shipment avoids airline cutoffs, transfers and space limits. Priority charters are used for urgent production parts, aircraft parts, medical shipments and oversized freight. The term also appears in the names of several companies, but in freight it describes this type of service.

Priority air transport is used by businesses where a late shipment stops work or causes serious losses. Automotive and manufacturing plants use it when a missing part halts a production line. Airlines and maintenance shops use it for parts needed to return a grounded aircraft to service. Hospitals and medical device makers use it for time-sensitive equipment and supplies. Energy, mining and construction companies use it to reach remote sites with equipment and repair parts. Government agencies and relief groups also use charters to move supplies quickly after disasters.

Next flight out books freight on the first scheduled airline departure that has space, with trucks at both ends. It is fast and much cheaper than a charter, but it depends on airline schedules, cutoffs and available space, and the freight may connect through a hub. An air cargo charter books a whole aircraft that departs when the freight is ready and flies direct. Charter costs more because the shipper pays for the aircraft, but it works when flights are full, when no departure fits the deadline, or when the freight is too large for scheduled aircraft.

An onboard courier, also called hand carry, is a person who travels on a scheduled passenger flight with a shipment and delivers it in person. The item travels as checked or carry-on baggage, so it never leaves the courier's custody. Hand carry suits small, light and critical items, such as an electronic component, a medical device or important documents. It is often faster than freight because it skips cargo cutoffs and terminal handling. It is limited by airline baggage rules and by what one person can manage, so larger freight needs next flight out or a charter.

A positioning leg is a flight an aircraft makes without cargo to reach the airport where a charter begins. If the most suitable aircraft is based in another city, it must fly to the origin before it can load. The charter may also include a return leg if the aircraft flies home empty afterward. Positioning and return legs are part of the trip's cost, which is why charter prices depend on where available aircraft are located as well as on the distance of the cargo flight itself.

Part 135 is the section of Federal Aviation Administration regulations that governs commuter and on-demand air carriers, including most charter operators in the United States. A company holding a Part 135 certificate has been approved by the FAA to carry passengers or cargo for hire on demand, with rules covering pilots, maintenance, operations and record-keeping. Larger scheduled airlines and some cargo carriers operate under Part 121, which has its own requirements. A charter flight for cargo should be operated by a company holding the appropriate certificate.

An aircraft operator holds the FAA certificate to fly the aircraft and is responsible for the flight itself, including the crew, maintenance and safety decisions. A charter broker does not operate aircraft. It arranges the charter with operators on the shipper's behalf, and for cargo it usually coordinates the trucks for pickup and delivery as well. Under US Department of Transportation rules, brokers must not hold themselves out as the operator. Shippers often use brokers because a broker can compare aircraft from many operators and manage the whole trip with one contact.

Operational control is the authority over a flight: starting it, carrying it out and ending it. Under FAA rules, the certificated operator holds operational control, not the broker or the customer. That means the operator decides whether the flight goes, chooses and supervises the crew, and is responsible for the aircraft's airworthiness. Operational control matters for accountability. If a question arises about safety, weather or delays, the operator makes the call, while a broker communicates with the shipper and adjusts the ground arrangements.

Many dangerous goods can fly on a cargo charter when they are properly classified, packed, marked, labeled and declared. Charters can sometimes carry items that are restricted on passenger aircraft, because no passengers are aboard. The operator must agree to accept the shipment, and it follows the US hazardous materials regulations and its own approvals. Shippers should share the hazmat class and safety data sheet when requesting a quote, because not every operator or aircraft accepts every class. Some materials remain forbidden on all aircraft.

Yes, and that is one of the main reasons to charter. Turboprops and light jets can operate from small regional airports and short runways that scheduled freighters cannot use. Landing closer to a plant, mine or job site shortens the truck leg at the destination. Larger freighters need longer runways and airports with cargo handling equipment. The choice of airport depends on the aircraft, runway length, operating hours and whether ground handling and loading equipment are available for the freight.

Exclusive use means one shipper has the whole aircraft or vehicle for its shipment, with no other freight aboard. On a charter, the aircraft carries only that shipper's cargo and flies where and when the shipment requires. Exclusive use removes the waits and transfers that shared space brings, and it reduces handling, which lowers the risk of damage or loss. It also gives the shipper more control over loading, timing and the airports used. The trade-off is cost, because the shipper pays for the full capacity of the aircraft whether or not the freight fills it.