The FAQ Guide about
Private Jet Charter Flights
Frequently Asked Questions about
Private and Executive Aviation
Our clients have often similar questions about how to charter a private jet and other requests related to our aircraft-fleet or our company. The FAQ guide gives you quick answers to the most common questions around everything you might want to know about us, our product or private and executive aviation in general.
To make it easier for you to find your way around, we divided the FAQs section into different subject areas. Do you have any further questions, which weren't been answered in the FAQ page? Feel free to ask us via the contact form, by email or phone. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
FAQs about the private jet charter in general
What is a private jet charter flight?
A private jet charter or private air charter is an unscheduled flight, which is not part of a regular routing offered by a commercial airline. When chartering a private jet, you rent the entire aircraft. You determine departure times and the flight route according to your schedule and travel plans.
A private jet charter flight is customised for the passenger. The flexibility to the passenger’s needs is an advantage to a scheduled flight run by a commercial airline. On a regular flight you are only entitled to a seat on a specific route and at a fixed time – even with a first-class or business-class ticket. Whereas on a chartered private jet travel times and the itinerary are under the control of the passenger.
Is a trip on a private jet faster than on a scheduled flight?
The cruising speed of our Phenom 100 is 750 km/h, which translates into a total flight duration only slightly less compared to a commercial aircraft. However, one of the most significant advantages of travelling in a private jet is the significant amount of time you might save before and after the actual flight.
First, the transfer to the nearest airport can be reduced to a minimum when flying with a minijet. Our Phenom 100 can take off and land even on short runways. The range of possible airports you are connected with is much higher than with a regular airline. You can fly unusual routes like Kassel to Cannes or Paris-Le Bourget to Altenrhein, which are not served by any commercial airline.
Second, the check-in, security check, baggage handling and boarding procedure will only take a few minutes. Just arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time instead of counting in hour-long buffer times and long walks inside the airport building. And pick up your luggage immediately after landing, instead of losing additional time waiting at the belt.
Third, a private jet allows you to reach your travel destination without layovers and tedious connecting flights. The Phenom 100 can reach most destinations within Central Europe on a direct flight, nonstop in less than two hours flight time.
In general, travellers on a private jet can save several hours on many routes within Europe compared to a scheduled flight with a commercial aircraft or other means of transport.
What are the costs of a private jet charter compared to scheduled flights?
Flying in a private jet is often associated with ostentatious luxury, first-class comfort and exclusiveness for a price only the elite few can afford. But travelling on a Phenom 100 with its economical usage is much less costly than you might have thought.
Nowadays flying private is not an exclusive privilege for the upper class. Many of our clients have rational arguments for choosing to travel with our entry-level jets. For them the convenience of saving hours of travel time and flexible planning according to their schedule is worth paying an extra amount.
Oftentimes chartering a small private jet is not significantly more expensive than a business-class ticket, especially when travelling in a group.
The exact costs for chartering a private jet depend on various factors such as distance, take-off weight and airport fees.
To give you a general idea: A chartered flight from London to Paris might cost 5000 Euros, which is definitely affordable to a regular airline ticket, especially when you split the costs among 5 passengers. The total price for a flight from Munich to Cannes will be around 7000 Euros.
How safe is a flight in a private jet?
Travelling by airplane is the safest mode of transportation. Beyond this, private jet operators have to comply with numerous safety regulations according to European standards.
Small jets, just like large commercial aircrafts, must undergo a routine safety check before each departure.Moreover, the crew of a Phenom 100 always consists of two people – the pilot and the co-pilot.
The pilots are employed at our company and fly exclusively the Phenom 100, so they know the aircraft like the back of their hand. Our crew participates continuously in flight trainings for your maximum safety on board.
Is it more worthwhile to buy a private jet instead of renting?
Owning your business jet is usually only worthwhile for larger companies with many employees who use the aircraft regularly. Owning a plane also entails high ongoing costs for regular maintenance, airport parking fees, insurance, and pilot salaries and training. With a chartered jet, these costs are already priced.
FAQs about Arcus Air Group and our
private jet fleet
Who is Arcus Air Group?
The Arcus Air Group is one of the largest and most established private jet airlines in Europe, based in Germany and in the aviation business since 1973. Arcus Air Group has a fleet of seven Embraer Phenom 100 aircrafts, which are categorized as Very Light Jets (VLJ) .
As a private jet operator, Arcus focuses on charter flight services for B2C private customers and B2C business travel flights, also known as business aviation or executive aviation.
What is the advantage of renting a private jet with Arcus Air?
Chartering a private jet with the Arcus Air Group has numerous advantages for you. With our seven Embraer Phenom 100 private jets, we have one of the largest fleets of Very Light Jets (VLJ) in Europe.
These aircrafts for up to 5 passangers are also known as minijets, entry-level jets or airtaxis. Our standarized fleet allows us to provide aircrafts for customer requests flexibly and at short notice. Another advantages are the low operational costs and the wide range of airports we are able to connect, due to the low weight of the aircraft model.
Last but not least: In contrast to other Very Light Jet types the Phenom 100 has a lavatory on board.
Should one aircraft fail due to a technical problem, our unified fleet gives us an additional advantage over our competitors to quickly fly in a replacement aircraft.
A flight with a Very Light Jet is associated with significantly lower operating costs compared to larger aircraft types designed for more than four passengers. This allows us to offer considerably lower prices for the flight route than many other providers without sacrificing our passengers’ comfort and safety.
A private flight with one of our mini-jets is far unexpensive and more environmentally friendly than a big private jet due to the low kerosene consumption.
Another added advantage of the Arcus Air Group is the personalised service. We are one of Europe’s most established private air charter companies and have been in business for almost 50 years. Our employees can organise every possible additional service beyond the actual flight thanks to their many years of planning experience.
Moreover, we place particular emphasis on personal service, transparency, open communication and safety.
What is the average age of our fleet?
Our private jets were built in 2010-2011, a relatively young age for aircrafts which can operate safely for decades. The key for longevity is a regular maintainance.
In Europe, the aviation industry has to comply strict safety regulations. And in general, even on a worldwide scale, aircrafts are the safest means of transport of all.
Will the aircraft be flown by one or two pilots?
Our crew on board always consists of two people – the pilot and the co-pilot. The double team guarantees you maximum safety and service during the flight.
What destinations can I reach with Arcus Air?
Our fleet of Embraer Phenom 100 private jets is strategically located at different airports all over Europe. Since this minijet type has a take-off and landing run under 1000 meters, it can depart and land from short runways as well as big international airport hubs.
This characteristic allows you to be connected with around 1000 airports all over Europe and reduce your total travel time up to several hours, compared to bigger private jets, commercial airlines or any other means of transport.
The Phenom 100 has a maximum range of around 2100 km. At a higher take-off weight, this range is shorter. Nevertheless, the most popular destinations can be reached nonstop with our aircraft.
For more distant destinations from Central Europe to Southern Spain or Greece for example, we have to count a stopover for refuelling.
How long does a stopover for refuelling take?
As stated above, for flight distances over 2000 km, the Embraer Phenom 100 has to schedule a stopover for refuelling. This fuel stop takes about 45-60 minutes in total. The faster the refuelling truck pulls up to the aircraft at the airport, the quicker we are ready to take-off again.
Why are we less expensive than other private jet charter companies?
Renting a private jet is much less expensive, then you might think. Especially when you charter an economical Very Light Jet with Arcus Air.
We can offer competitive rates, which are much lower than other private jet providers, as our Phenom 100 fleet has very low operating costs.
On the one hand as the aircraft model is lightweight and has a much lower kerosene consumption compared to bigger private jets. On the other hand as we are the only private jet operator in Europe with a standardized fleet of the same airplane model, which reduces operational costs additionally.
Chartering a private jet is especially attractive if you travel as a group
or fly to several destinations within a short time. Unlike ticket prices off of commercial airline, travel costs in private aviation are based on flight hours and not per passenger.
Should I book my private jet flight as early as possible?
The earlier you know precisely when you want to fly, the better we can plan and offer you attractive prices. Most private flights are booked about two weeks before travelling.
If you book at short notice, the choice may be limited, especially during the well-booked months in the summer half-year, when our fleet is in heavy demand.
Which airports can I fly to with your private jet?
A private flight with Arcus Air has the advantage that you can fly to small airports. Many travellers are surprised to find a provincial airport for private jets near their home or destination, which are not served by commercial airlines.
Landing at a small airport allows reducing travel times, sometimes by
several hours. Especially, when you land on a remote island, which can be reached otherwise only by boat. Our operational team will find out for you, which airport you might never heard of before, is closest to your destination.
However, you can also book flights that depart and land at well-known airport hubs.
Can I fly to major commercial airports by private air ?
Yes, this is possible. This option is beneficial if these airports are particularly close to your departure point or final destination. And also, if you are chartering a private jet as a feeder flight to a connection with a scheduled long-haul flight with a commercial airline.
Remember that some major airports, such as London Heathrow or Paris Charles Le-Gaulle, are located far away from the city centre and ground transfers to smaller airports are often more relaxed.
Contact our operational team to find out if a regional airport, which you might be unaware of so far, can be a closer and time-saving alternative for you.
Can I spontaneously add more passengers to the booked flight?
Yes, this is possible. After all, you have rented the entire private jet and can take up to four passengers on board. However, you should contact us in advance and ensure that the additional last-minute passenger plus luggage does not exceed the permissible total weight.
This is important to take into account in advance, especially for take-offs and landings on short taxiways. If the flight destination is outside the Schengen zone, all passengers should bring the necessary documents and visas for entry.
Can I charter more than one private jet?
Yes, this is possible. Our Embraer Phenom 100 can accommodate four passengers. If you would like to book a private flight for a larger group, we can provide additional aircraft.
Since we calculate the cost individually for each flight, a different price will be charged for the other plane. Our flight experts can help you search among our options and provide you with a quote for your destination most efficiently and cost-effectively.
What happens if the private jet cannot take off due to a technical problem?
For many clients, speed and unbeatable flexibility are the key reasons to charter a private jet. Occasionally, we may not depart in time due to a warning light coming on or a technical problem. Safety while flying is our number one concern. Therefore, we need to make sure that everything is in order.
We will find a solution as soon as possible to fix the malfunction.
If the case is more complicated, we will have a suitable replacement aircraft flown in for you or offer an alternative to get to your destination quickly and comfortably.
Should you arrive much later due to a technical problem, we will accommodate you with compensation.
Does this happen often?
No. We work hard on the maintenance and safety of all the private jets in our fleet.
Furthermore, our passengers’ safety is the most crucial aspect of our job, so it is not frequent that there are technical failures in our routes.
If it does happen, there is a follow-up protocol to make sure we meet our routes safely.
Can the private jet be booked for the entire duration of the stay?
Theoretically yes. It is, of course, a matter of cost if you wish to block the aircraft for a more extended period. Our flight dispatchers make sure that the planes are as busy as possible to remain economical and offer you attractive prices.
Suppose you are only at your destination for a few hours for a business meeting. In that case, it will make little or no difference to the price if the aircraft is waiting for you on the tarmac.
On the other hand, if you stay on-site for several days, it is worthwhile to release the private jet and have a re-arriving aircraft pick you up on the desired departure date.
Can I book a fixed seat on the private jet in advance?
Chartering a private jet means that you rent the entire aircraft. The charter flight cost remains the same – regardless of whether you fly alone or with several people. In this sense, you are free to decide among yourselves in the group who of the maximum four passengers from your group will sit at which seat.
Note: Since all the Embraer Phenom 100 are window seats, it doesn’t make much difference where you will sit.
I missed my scheduled flight. How quickly can I book a private jet as a replacement?
Another great advantage of a private jet charter is the fast, flexible booking options and the quick provision of a private aircraft for the customer. Depending on the availability, the crew can take off within 30 minutes to pick you up. Get in touch with our flight dispatchers. We’ll see what options are available on short notice and quickly provide you with a quote tailored to your needs.
FAQs about the luggage
How much luggage can I take on board?
Like our Embraer Phenom 100 jets, Very Light Jets are, as the name suggests, characterised by their lightweight. The maximum payload with luggage is accordingly limited. How much baggage you can take on the flight depends on your destination’s distance and passengers’ number.
If you are travelling with four passengers, as a guideline, you should fit one piece of luggage weighing 20 kg, plus additional hand luggage per person. In total, about 1.7 m³ will work. Our flight dispatchers can calculate the maximum weight of baggage for you more precisely when you request your booking.
Will I be able to access my baggage during the flight?
Only the hand luggage, as the suitcases are stored separately in the baggage compartment for the flight’s entire duration.
Can I take my skis or other winter sports equipment onboard?
In terms of size, skis or snowboards generally fit in the baggage compartment. Our flight experts will contact you to know if you are flying with several people, each of whom wants to bring their complete winter sports equipment onboard.
If the “usual” luggage is added, the Embraer Phenom 100 can quickly reach the permissible total weight limits. In this case, the solution would be to check in your winter sports equipment separately as cargo or rent it locally. Our flight dispatchers will calculate for you to what extent you can take your equipment onboard.
Can I take golf equipment onboard?
The rest of your luggage’s total volume and weight must also be considered when taking golf equipment on board. A golf bag should usually not be a problem. If four golfing friends book a private jet and want to take all your gear in complex cases, you might run out of space.
Is the Embraer Phenom 100 also suitable for wheelchair users?
Only to a limited extent. Getting on board via the stairs is a bit of a challenge for people with walking disabilities. Also, you should note that only collapsible wheelchairs fit in the cargo hold of the Embraer Phenom 100.
On the other hand, we want to highlight that the chairs on board are very comfortable and the legroom is quite broad.
FAQs about the service around the flight
What services can I book in addition to the flight?
There are no limits to your creativity when choosing additional services before, during and after the flight. From the shuttle to or pick up from the airport by limousine, exclusive catering onboard, to the arrangement of accommodation or concert tickets at the destination, we can fulfil (almost) every wish around the actual flight.
Our concierge service takes care of the organisation of additional assistance. In this regard, our service also includes flexible rebooking options if you want to change the flight times or route at short notice. Our flight dispatchers will see if this is feasible and may not incur additional costs.
Can I also get the airport transfer organised by you?
Yes, upon request, we can arrange a transfer service to take you to the airport and pick you up upon arrival at your destination at your hotel. From ordinary cab to black stretch limousine, we can provide any shuttle upon request. We will include the additional cost of the transfer service in the total price of the charter flight.
What kind of catering is available onboard?
A small selection of snacks and drinks will be available for you free of charge in the onboard bar during the flight. Since most flights’ travel time is less than two hours, this offer is sufficient for most passengers. However, upon request, we can also provide extensive VIP catering with additional non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages in the onboard bar or serve a vast selection of hot meals during the flight.
Can I select specific meals for catering?
We work with airport caterers, as well as nearby restaurants. This makes it possible to offer you just about any meal for the flight if you wish.
Can I bring pets onboard a private jet?
Yes. Being able to bring your four-legged friend in the cabin is another benefit of travelling by private jet. There is zero stress of having to spend hours crammed into a transport box in a commercial airliner’s baggage compartment.
When travelling abroad, you must make sure in advance that your pet has the corresponding “entry documents” with them. Contact us for more information about bringing pets on board.
FAQs about the check-in, boarding and entry
requirements
What travel documents should I carry when flying on a private jet?
You should have your identity card or passport with you. If the flight is going outside the EU or Schengen zone, you must ensure that all passengers meet the destination country’s entry requirements and have a visa, if necessary.
Moreover, as long as the COVID-19 crisis continues, you will need to follow additional entry requirements, which you can view on the IATA website. When flying by private jet, there is no traditional boarding, as with scheduled flights. Therefore, they do not need to print boarding passes.
How many minutes should I be at the airport before the scheduled departure time?
The airport procedure before departure is much faster and less complicated for private flights than for scheduled flights. We recommend that you arrive at the terminal at least 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time, even though check-in at the security checkpoint and boarding is usually much faster.
Who will meet me at the airport upon arrival?
Unlike scheduled flights, there is no classic check-in counter for private jets. In most cases, it is your flight captain himself who will meet you at the entrance of the private flight terminal, accompanied by a member of the aircraft handling staff.
They will collect your luggage and escort you directly to the aircraft waiting for you on the airfield.
What happens at the airport before departure?
You can either organise the transfer to the airport on your own or use our transport service, which will drive you to the terminal for private jets or to the tarmac. When you arrive, your pilots and the airport staff will be waiting to welcome you, take care of loading your luggage and escort you to the security check.
There is no check-in counter in the private jet terminal, as there is on conventional scheduled flights. The procedure up to boarding the aircraft is quick and uncomplicated. Within 20 minutes of arrival, you will be ready for departure.
Do I have to go through passport and customs control when entering the country?
Most flights take place within Europe in the Schengen zone. Here, passport and customs control is usually not required. However, you should always carry a valid identity card or passport with you on your trip.
If the private flight goes to countries outside the Schengen area, we will check your identity documents. We advise you always to make sure that you comply with possible visa and customs regulations. You usually take off your private flight terminal or Fixed Base Operator (FBO) or at small airports and land there.
FAQs about our Empty Leg Flights
What is an Empty Leg Flight?
Most charter private flights are booked as a one-way leg. This means that the aircraft often fly without passengers to their home airport or their next operation point. To take advantage of the empty leg, we offer Empty Leg flights on an ongoing basis for passengers who are time flexible and price-conscious.
In this regard, the price is much lower compared to the cost of a regular charter flight. On this page, you can view and book the Empty Leg Flights currently offered by Arcus Air. The offer is continuously updated. If you do not find an Empty Leg flight that fits your needs, it is worth visiting this page regularly.
Where can I see the offer of current Empty Leg flights?
You can contact our team to find out more about the flight’s prices and details. The offer is updated continuously. If you do not find anything suitable at the moment, you may find the Empty Leg flight that suits your needs on a different day.
You can also subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated. This will keep you informed about the latest Empty Leg offers, so you will never miss an Empty Leg flight.
What is the disadvantage of an Empty Leg flight?
The main disadvantage of an Empty Leg flight is the short term availability of the offer. Empty flights are usually offered as “last-minute private jet flights” only a few days before the travel date. You will need a bit of luck and patience to find the right Empty Leg tailored to your travel needs.
The more flexible you are in travel times and itinerary, the more comprehensive your Empty Leg flights choice. If you find an Empty Leg flight that suits your needs, make your decision quickly and contact our flight dispatchers.
Why is the cost of an Empty Leg flight?
Empty Leg Flights are around 40-70% less than regular charter flights because the provider has already priced the empty leg flight without passengers into calculating the previous flight. The low price makes Empty Legs attractive for passengers for whom the offered Empty Leg happens to fit precisely on the desired travel dates or are very flexible from the departure time. Empty Legs are also attractive for those who have always wanted to fly on a private jet without putting too much strain on their travel budget.
