Do I need a Passport when flying by private jet?
Although travelling by private jet can be much faster and far more comfortable than flying with a commercial airline, you still need to ensure that you don’t leave your passport at home. You may not have to work your way through security queues or carry your suitcase down endless grey corridors to reach your departure gate, but this is one legal requirement that remains exactly the same whichever way you travel.
Will I need Immigration Documents?
Bear in mind that you will have to meet the requisite immigration requirements of any country to which you are flying. Within Europe, most countries are covered by the Schengen agreement, in which case a passport or an identity card will suffice. However, if you are flying further afield, a visa will most likely be required and this needs to be arranged in advance of any proposed trip.
If you are in any doubt about immigration requirements and this isn’t something your PA would normally take care of, then the team at Volare can make any arrangements necessary for you and your family or your colleagues as part of your package.
You will need to provide us with copies of your documentation.
When you book your trip with us, our team will ask each traveller to provide a copy of his or her passport, plus any necessary immigration documentation. This information will then be used to create a passenger manifest, an official document used by us – the operator – the flight crew and also, immigration officials. This document is known as a General Declaration and informs Customs in both departure and arrival countries of your intentions and who is travelling; the U.K. states that to leave Europe, the manifest must be submitted to Customs a minimum of 12 hours before a routine departure.
Depending on your route, the manifest can be used to clear you for take off before you even arrive at the airport, thus making a smooth experience even smoother. Each passenger will need to show a valid passport to us before boarding the aircraft. If you wish to travel with an extra passenger or two at the last minute, this is generally fine as long as the manifest has already been submitted to customs within the required time. However, it is still vital that they bring their passport.
Do I need a ticket to fly private jet?
Unlike commercial flights, you will not receive a ticket when you fly by private jet. What you will receive from our team at Volare is a detailed itinerary of your route and any other pertinent information including the contact details of your crew and the tail number of your aircraft. This is known as a “trip sheet”; it contains your departure and arrival times in local times, plus the names, contact details and addresses of the handlers at the airports so you can arrange your own transport should you so wish. Additionally, it lists the names and contact numbers of the crew should you need to contact them.
Sometimes, you may need an additional security requirement (PPR Prior Permission Requirement) which is a unique number identifying each passenger on arrival. This number is required, for example, if you need your driver to enter a private airport like Farnborough in order to get to the terminal and through any security gates.
Our team will sometimes give you a booking reference, but most often simply the tail number of your aircraft; we will ensure that you have clear directions to our site and instructions on where to park. You can take it for granted that our airport handlers will also be ready and waiting to assist you.
You won’t need to pay extra for luggage.
When you travel by private jet you can take as little or as much as you need; there are far fewer luggage limits. Your bags will still need to be scanned if you are flying internationally and many of the security procedures are still pertinent, but they can normally be carried out far more swiftly and effortlessly.
Weight limitations, however, are still applicable on a private jet, especially if your aircraft is relatively small; ten passengers and their corresponding luggage weigh far more than one or two travellers and theirs, for example, increasing the chances that your aircraft might have to stop to refuel.
On the plus side, you won’t need to transfer your make-up into plastic bags or remember to put your sun cream in the hold. In fact, you can take more or less anything you like as long as it falls within the dangerous goods regulations that still apply under the International Civil Aviation Organisation. This means that there are no restrictions on liquids like Dom Perignon, just to give one example!
You can travel with your best friend (as long as they have a passport).
Dogs can certainly accompany you on your flight, but they are subject to the same passport requirements as human travellers and must have their own valid passport, a certificate of immunisations and evidence that they have been micro chipped. Pets coming into the U.K. from abroad also need to be vaccinated against rabies and wormed within the preceding 24 hours.
Hopefully, we have managed to shed some light, not just on what documentation you must provide when you charter a private jet, but also why it is you’re being asked for it. Contact Volare Aviation for further clarification or assistance; be assured that our team can help you get exactly what you need.
