Hourly contracts

Hourly contracts expensive, opaque and take away your flexibility

Within the private jet market, more and more hourly contracts are being offered.
At first it sounds attractive, at the bottom it is often significantly more expensive than ad hoc hiring and it takes away any flexibility.

These hourly contracts for hiring private jets have some disadvantages compared to ad hoc hiring. With hourly contracts, you pay in advance for a certain number of flight hours, often based on a bundle, to be used over a certain period of time. While this may seem attractive at first glance, there are some potential drawbacks to consider.

1. Limited Flexibility: Hourly contracts commit you to a set number of hours, which can lead to problems especially if you need fewer flight hours than expected. With ad hoc hiring, you only pay for the flights you actually make, giving you more flexibility to adjust your travel needs.
2. Underutilisation: If you don’t use the full bundle of flight hours within the contract period, you run the risk of paying for unused hours. Ad hoc hiring avoids this problem because you only pay when you actually fly.
3. Non-transparent Costs: Hourly contracts can sometimes contain hidden costs such as fuel surcharges, peak hours/days and surcharges for expensive airports, which may only come to light later. Ad hoc hiring gives you more transparency in costs, as you pay specifically for the services you use.
4. Bound to one provider: With hourly contracts, you are bound to one airline or service provider. This can be limiting if you want the option to use different aircraft types or service providers. Ad hoc hiring gives you the freedom to choose from different providers and aircraft depending on the number of passengers, distance, budget and personal requirements for the particular flight.
5. Changing Travel Plans: If your travel plans change or you need to make unexpected flights, hourly contracts can impose restrictions. Ad hoc hiring allows you to book flights quickly and easily based on your current needs.

In short, while hourly contracts can be convenient for some travellers, ad hoc hiring of private jets generally offers more flexibility, transparency and customisability, which can make it a more attractive choice for those looking for tailored and cost-efficient private jet options.

If you still prefer a fixed hourly rate to budget or simply because it is convenient, Global Aviation offers suitable, transparent, solutions for this with no obligation of minimum purchase but tailored to your travel schedule, requirements and budget.