Everyone in business is looking for ways to maximize the bottom line. In 2009, frugality is the new cool. In Air Cargo, especially with Air Cargo Charters, the bottom line is the ONLY line our clients are interested in.

How does Air Charter Guru ensure our clients achieve the bottom line results they require? It’s not really too complicated. First and foremost we listen. The client and their needs dictate the requirement. As all my readers are aware, every Air Charter is unique. Whether you are flying VIPs on a Private Jet Charter, a large Group Charter, or in this post – freight on an Air Cargo Charter, understanding the requirement, and the client’s needs are paramount to success.

There are number of “trade secrets” we employ to get the “best deal”. After we listen, we probe our clients to determine what other underlying facts or circumstance is driving the transaction. Once we have a thorough understanding, then we proceed with research and recommendations. Having two decades experience moving cargo, people and stuff, expedites the process greatly. The most significant tool is our relationship with our clients. Open communication is essential to getting the best deal.

What is the “best deal” anyhow? The Sales Guru tells me “a great deal is a state of mind”, meaning if the client thinks they got a great deal then they did. To expound on that theme, we believe the “best deal” is found when we achieve the desired result for our client – they understand and appreciate the value – and KNOW they got the highest level of service – and most often saved money in the process. Air Charter Guru consistently delivers high value – especially to our Air Cargo Charter clients.

To Get our clients the “best deal” here’s what we need;

1. City Pairs – Where is the cargo and where do you need it to go?

2. What does it look like? – The commodity, the weight, and the dimensions

3. Time frame – When does your cargo have to deliver?

4. Driving force – What is driving the request – time? cost? schedule?

5. Is it special? – Is your cargo high value? Do you need a courier to accompany it? Do you require security? Etc…

These 5 factors are repeatedly the main elements which determine which solution our clients choose. There are always more of course, but, as every Air Charter requirement is unique, so are the questions and answers which lead us to the best deal for our clients.

Our client base is diverse. We provide Air Charter Services to VIPs, executives, large Groups and travel agencies. Air Cargo Charter Services are routinely provided to Freight Forwarders, Manufacturers, Growers, Airlines, Governments and Fortune 100 companies worldwide. There must be some reason Air Charter Guru continues to grow exponentially. Perhaps it’s because we deliver value and the “best deal”.

Welcome all to 2009. My first post of this year centers around Group Travel. Over the last many months I have received countless inquiries relating to group travel. Many of which conclude that Charter is not the best alternative for the client.

Group Travel, in simplest terms, is more than 10 people. While less than 10 is still a group, for the purposes of this discussion, let’s stay with 10 or more.

Myth: Our group can save money, over standard coach fares, by pooling our resources.

There are rare instances where a large group can in fact find cost savings through pooling their resources. These occasions are few and far between. Groups who save money generally stay short periods of time and are flying to destinations where scheduled service by major airlines is limited.

For the rest of us, consider the following;

· Scheduled Service Carriers don’t fly to make money. Nearly every passenger carrier has been in bankruptcy in the last decade, and there has not been one quarter where every airline has shown a profit. Constant price wars and a focus on market share dilute the earnings potential of the scheduled service carriers. While this is good short term strategy, and it benefits the leisure traveler, it’s bad for the industry and global economic health in general. This causes massive losses to investors and forced consolidation and worse more government bailouts.

· Charter Operators do so to make a profit. There is an expectation that the client will actually pay for the costs associated with operating the aircraft for the requirement. Quite a concept, clients pay for services received.

· Charter Operators charge clients for the entire usage of the aircraft. Whether there are 6 passengers on board or 60, or the maximum capacity, the carrier charges based upon the cost to operate the aircraft. Charter companies don’t guess or make projections based upon faulty assumptions.

· Scheduled service carriers fly only when and where they desire. Diversions and stops enroute just don’t happen. There are practical, as well as regulatory reasons for not doing so. Many destinations require a lengthy approval process before landing rights are granted. Insurance, maintenance, and other regulatory compliance must be met before a scheduled service aircraft can change their routes.

Myth: Our group can just re-sell the seats we don’t need or won’t be using.

Untrue. There are numerous Federal and International regulations which prohibit the sale of seats on charter flights without prior approval. This process can be undertaken, but requires 90 days or so to get. Generally, not just anyone can get approval. It’s normally limited to Travel professionals and destination operators or tour operators.

Misconception: If we have 100 people we can easily save money over coach

Consider that your charter aircraft may not be in your city of departure when you want to depart. Position (the cost to fly your aircraft to or from your city pairs) costs can be more than the actual flight operation costs.

Example: Last summer we did a charter for Group of 175 people from one Caribbean Island to another and back. The clients had 16 hours of positioning costs for only 6 hours of flight operations. It made sense in this instance as there were no aircraft capable of handling the requirement within a closer proximity, or an aircraft which met the client’s unique specifications.

Consider that if your group intends to stay at their destination for a prolonged period (more than 48 hours) there is the question of what to do with the aircraft while your group vacations or conducts their business. Either the aircraft remains parked, which the client pays a daily fees for, or the aircraft re-positions for additional flight services. In the latter case the client would pay to have the aircraft return to pick-up the group.

It’s fairly uncommon for a Charter Operator to have a requirement within close proximity to the destination of another Charter. As we already established, Charter Operators are in business to make a profit.

In our experience, groups that have a need or desire to travel together are the best candidates for Group Charter. Chartering costs for large groups vary wildly based upon the specific requirement. This is why Air Charter Guru provides transit specific quotations, tailored to meet our client’s needs. This also the reason why our clients are always satisfied. No surprises, straightforward communications, multiple options and a customer centric approach, all guarantee repeat clients. Ask us for references, we’ll be happy to oblige.

For those groups of 40 or less, most of the major airlines have Group Sales Departments which will offer up to 40 seats blocked on a specific flights at the normal coach fare or for a modest premium. This assumes your group is travelling to cities on a scheduled carrier’s route. If your group’s travel is highly cost sensitive, this would be our recommended approach before considering charter.

Jeff Alan is the Air Charter Guru. Having spent nearly two decades in the Transportation Industry, he leverages his knowledge, experience, and extensive network to create “Intelligent Solutions for Time Critical Transport”.

Feel free to comment or contact us at any time via e-mail at jeff@aircharterguru.comor you can reach us at 866-501-GURU (4878).

$4 a gallon…YIKES!!!!!!

So how do fuel prices effect your overall Air Charter cost?

Let me first point out that EVERY aircraft operator I know of presently is charging some type of fuel surcharge. That being said, no one is immune to the adverse effect of rising fuel costs. I can also point out that on average, the fuel surcharges I see generally make up about 25% of the overall costs of the Air Charter, and rising.

The sad fact is that little can be done by the average AV Gas or Jet Fuel consumer. Short of plane-pooling, there are few, if any quick cost reduction steps to take.

A common misconception by the public is that the Oil companies drive the price of fuel. Partly that’s true, but supply and demand – low supply, high demand – drive the costs higher. The truth is there is no shortage of oil, just a massive shortage of refining capacity to make the fuels that are required to fly our aircraft and drive our cars. Our President (GWB), love him or hate him, pointed to the grim reality in a speech just today, that “you can’t build a refinery in the United States, and you can’t expand a refinery in the United States”. This serves to reduce capacity and drive prices higher.

On yet another front, the price is being driven higher by the declining dollar. In real terms the price of Crude has only risen marginally in the last 6 months. The lower dollar, which has PLUNGED in the last 6 months, exascerbates the effect by providing a lower value per barrel as compared to the Euro, Yen, Won, and other foreign currencies. In real terms the price of oil has remain fairly constant, but still way above the $50 a barrel of just two years ago.

Interestingly, the prices per gallon of fuel in the same time has not risen by an equal factor.

In the best interest of the aviation industry and our Air Charter clients I wanted to provide some kind of explanation as to why the cost to hire a Lear Jet or 747 has risen by over 30% in the last 2 years. Simply put, the cost of fuel, drives the cost of everything higher.

When you’re looking for your next flight, I hope you’ll consider giving AirCharterGuru.com a try. We work tirelessly to provide solutions to every customer’s individual needs and offer a multitude of options for our clients to select from.

If you desire the privacy of a private jet charter or the elegance of a VIP Jet, like a Boeing Business Jet, or even if you’re an organization looking to book your group travel on a 737 Charter, we find solutions to meet and exceed your expectations. Jeff Alan is the Air Charter Guru. Having spent nearly two decades in the Transportation Industry, he leverages his knowledge, experience, and extensive network to create “Intelligent Solutions for Time Critical Transport”. Feel free to comment or contact us at any time via e-mail at jeff@AirCharterGuru.com or you can reach us at 866-501-GURU (4878).

One of the more common questions I’m asked, “Does your quote include this or that?”

Simple answer is yer or no, it includes Fuel Surcharge, etc. Nearly always, the pricing offered by AirCharterGuru.com is ALL-IN. What does that mean to our clients?? Simple, the price is the price, no hidden charges, no additional fees for Credit Card Payments, fuel, landing fees, handling charges, whatever. The price is the price.

I beleive my customers deserve straightforward, honest answers to their questions without the need to disguise charges to make our quoted rate “appear” to cost less. So how do clients know when to ask? The short answer is ALWAYS.

If you get a competitive quote from anyone offering Air Charter Service, whether directly from an Aircraft Owner or Operator, or a Charter Broker like AirCharterGuru.com, there are some key questions to ask;

1. What kind of Aircraft are you quoting me ??

A. The Type (Jet, TurboProp, Piston)

B. How old is it ??

C. When was the last refurb completed??

D. What is the aircraft’s capacity??

2. What Service are you quoting ??

A. Which airport to which airport??

B. Does your quote encompass ground transportation??

C. Is the flight direct or are there stops??

3. What does your quotation include ??

A. The Aircraft useage (of course)??

B. Positioning??

C. Loading and Unloading (Cargo)

D. Build-Up and Break Down (Cargo)

E. Fuel Surcharge (everyone charges one now) ??

F. Customs (International Flights)

G. Navigational Fees??

H. Taxes??

The real story is that many of us in the Air Charter business have sophisticated software to help us generate quotations to our clients. These programs are designed to not only assist with getting the quotes out to our clients faster, but to ensure we don’t forget to include necessary costs which may be associated with the Charter Flight. Helpful for us, confusing for our clients (sometimes).

I wish I could tell my Blog readers how many times a month I quote a client, don’t get the Charter, only to have the client call me back afterwards telling me he should have gone with us because there were unknown or undisclosed additional charges added on after the fact. Language in most Charter Agreements spells out these charges in the (ahem) “fine print”. Glad to say our fine print is 3 paragraphs. Not much hidden in there.

I write these things to be more of an educational tool for our clients and potential clients. While AirCharterGuru.com may not always have the best pricing, we strive for and work tirelessly to provide our clients with an exceptional Customer Service Experience and put together solutions which work best for them. Although our clients do frequently tell us our pricing could not be beat. Being the AirCharterGuru is understanding the wants and needs of our clients, it’s what we do best.

I invite you to contact us anytime by phone at 866-501-GURU (4878) or e-mail at jeff@aircharterguru.com. We have access to thousands of Aircraft Worldwide. LearJets, Boeing 727, Boeing 737, 757, 747, Twin Props, TurboProps, even Antonov 124′s. We specialize in Air Cargo, and Project Cargo but always have time do a significant Passenger Air Charter business as well. We work for you and can locate aircraft anytime, anyplace around the clock. Once you book with us, you’ll understand why our tagline is “Be Enlightened!!”

Everyone in business is looking for the best “deal”. Looking for ways to maximize their profits while minimizing risk is part of the daily routine. In Air Cargo this means or can mean a multitude of things.

Transporting Cargo by Air is not really a preferred method of transport. Air Cargo is expensive, can be complicated, and requires preparation and planning to execute the move in the most economical way. Shippers need to know what Airlines serve what city, on what schedule, what are the transit times and so forth. For International Air Cargo it can be very complex, documentation, Customs Rules, who will be your agent at the delivery point. All of these questions and more have to be answered BEFORE you even begin shipping. This is where the Freight Forwarders earn their keep.

Freight Forwarders, as a general rule, have the expertise, connections and knowledge required to effectively execute your transit. They do all this for a fee of course. After all, knowledge is power and customers pay for your expertise. So how do you know that your forwarder or Airline is giving you a “fair deal” when shipping your Air Cargo? The truth is you don’t. You can expend hours, even days or weeks, shopping the “best deal”. At the end of the day, what have your really saved? Your time has value too. Shippers often are penny wise and pound foolish because they waste so much time, effort and man hours “just making sure” the pricing they receive is competitive.

In the Air Charter business I see this every single day. Shippers and even Forwarders spend countless hours making endless calls to potentially save what amounts to a couple of hundred dollars. Is it worth it? Count the hours, the cost of the phone calls, they time spent away from doing more productive activities and you can surmise the answer is really no. The best advice is to work with people your trust and have a demonstrated track record of providing VALUE to you and your clients. Companies like Air Charter Guru work tirelessly to find our clients the best value in Air Cargo Charter transport.

So if you work with us you have the Air Charter part covered. What about the Air Cargo that you don’t need or want to charter an Aircraft for? You can spend hours shopping and checking, that’s how everyone does it now. In the near future there will be a new way to examine your Air Cargo costs.

I am urging all of my clients and their customers to visit www.aircargobid.com. Air Cargo Bid is going to create a revolution in the Air Cargo business. The Air Cargo Bid site is a reverse auction marketplace specifically designed for the Air Cargo shipper and the service providers in the Air Cargo business. `Shippers will be able to post their cargo FREE and have hundreds of Airlines and Freight Forwarders compete for their business. It’s just about time someone came up with this idea.

Air cargo is expensive, but doesn’t have to be. Some Forwarders charge as much as 50% markup on Air Cargo shipments. Shippers can and will save big on this website. Airlines and Transportation Service Providers can meet and service new customers right from their desktops, lowering overhead and improving profitability. Everyone in the transaction wins!!

If you need an Air Charter, call AirCharterGuru.com, if you have other Air Cargo needs, visit www.AirCargoBid.com and register for the launch, this site will be up and running soon.

Jeff Alan is the Air Charter Guru. Having spent nearly two decades in the Transportation Industry, he leverages his knowledge, experience, and extensive network to create “Intelligent Solutions for Time Critical Transport”.

Feel free to comment or contact us at any time via e-mail at jeff@aircharterguru.comor you can reach us at 866-501-GURU (4878).

First, BOOK EARLY!! Nothing is more frustrating than to develop a great set of plans only to find out there’s no availability to book your Air Charter, or even worse all the commercial options are gone, even a Private Jet isn’t available. YIKES!! Time for a change of plans.

Second, confirm, confirm, confirm. Make certain that whatever your Holiday Travel plans are that you get your itinerary verified and CONFIRMED in writing. For those flying commercially, an e-ticket, for those booking a Charter a signed contract with any necessary deposit paid.

Unfortunately for those flying commercial, even an issued e-ticket is no guarantee you’ll fly. Ever watch that TV show where people with “confirmed” seats get bumped? Happens every day, particularly on the so called “bargain” airlines, some bargain huh? Commercial airlines typically oversell their flights by as much as 10% that means that if the plane carries 400, they may sell as many as 440 seats for that flight. They know it’s wrong, but they endeavor to cover themselves for those who cancel and no show. Usually only a few people are inconvenienced, I hope it’s not you.

Third, make certain you know and understand all the security and customs rules for the countries that you may be traveling to. What can I take as carry on? What do I have to declare? What special rules might apply to my visit to Turkey?

Your best defense against being stranded or getting stuck at home is to be well prepared and well informed. I can tell you all that the dates for the Holidays are filling up very, very quickly. Both before and after Christmas, Chanukah, New Years and Thanksgiving dates are nearly full already. Between the Charter Aircraft owners wishing to utilize their own planes, and the well prepared making arrangements early, the number of Private Jets shrinks on a daily basis.

The dead horse now beaten, get on the phone, the web, or visit your favorite travel agent and book that holiday travel now, before you get shut out and have to visit Piedmont, North Dakota for the holidays because it’s the only place with available seats and flights.

We hope you’ll consider AirCharterGuru for your next Private Air Charter. We provide Worldwide Air Charter Services for clients looking to experience a higher level of service, better pricing and integrity in their transaction. We do Air Cargo too!!

Hoping you all have wonderful Holiday seasons.

Jeff Alan is the Air Charter Guru. Having spent nearly two decades in the Transportation Industry, he leverages his knowledge, experience, and extensive network to create “Intelligent Solutions for Time Critical Transport”.

Feel free to comment or contact us at any time via e-mail at mailto:jeff@aircharterguru.comor you can reach us at 866-501-GURU (4878).

Passenger (insert your name here), your private flight to (insert your preferred destination here) is now boarding.

What makes the private air charter experience so fantastic? Well, to start with you get to feel like a Rock Star. For those fortunate enough to have the resources available to engage an Executive Charter or Private Air Charter the rewards are numerous.

From the obvious privacy issue to not have to deal with the mounting scrutiny and inconvenience of airport security, it just makes sense for those on very busy schedules who are looking to spend their time more productively. The Private Jet Charter affords busy executives an opportunity to bypass the line at security, go directly to their plane, and probably most importantly, fly on their own schedule, not that which makes the most sense for the airline.

The latter is a point most frequently overlooked by corporations flying their executives from place to place. The lost time is one thing, but the lost productivity is a far more pressing matter for organizations who want to maximize the contributions of their senior executives. This is something to seriously discuss with your travel department at your company when they are booking your next flight or travel engagement.

When traveling via Corporate Jet or Private Jet Charter, your aircraft is at your disposal. This makes for a breeze through the terminal and more time to focus on the reason for your travel. More time to prepare for that meeting, the time in preparation is in private, less interruptions, in short, you arrive at your destination better prepared, more relaxed, in less time, and far less stressed than if you chose a commercial option.

If you have a high profile career, privacy is at a premium. Really, while we love our admirers, we all need time to decompress and have some “me” time to bring balance to our hectic lifestyle. Private Jet Travel affords these people the necessary discretion to choose when the exposure is wanted and when it’s not.

Few things are more frustrating than being interrupted by a well wishing admirer when you’re trying to have some well deserved quiet time with loved ones. Everyone needs their space and private jet travel is yet another way to find it.

But what about the rest of us? If you’re not a Rock Star or High Level Executive, how can you afford the comfort, convenience and perks that accompany a Private Charter Flight??

This is where Air Charter Guru can help. With access to thousands of Aircraft of all types, large and small, we use our knowledge to locate and assist in booking of Private Flights.

Most people don’t know this, but over 30% of all flight time recorded in Private Planes is spent empty. Nope, no passengers, cargo, anything. These are the empty legs.

Charter Operators work tirelessly to fill these empty legs to ensure they have zero non-revenue miles. The truth about empty legs though, is that rarely are there any trips with “non-revenue” miles.

The real secret is that most (not all) Charter Planes are booked and paid for on a “round trip” basis. This means that the Plane Owner has already been paid to fly home empty.

The value for the Air Charter Company is in finding passengers who are willing to pay again for the same miles they have already been paid by the previous customer for. This is the beauty of the empty leg.

The aircraft operator is nearly always willing to offer these trips for a substantial discount, after all, they’ve already been paid right?? Additional revenue for these empty legs is where the airplane charter company actually makes their profit. Thus we create a “win-win” situation.

A common misconception is that these operators make huge margins on charter flights, nothing could be farther from the truth. Most Air Charter Companies operate on very small margins to keep the aircraft flying. Margins in truth are usually in the single digits, hardly seems worth it for a multi-million dollar investment in the aircraft. Most operators welcome the opportunity that the empty leg provides.

This is where most of us “regular folk” can get in to a private air charter for an affordable price.

When you’re looking for your next flight, I hope you’ll consider giving AirCharterGuru.com a try. We work tirelessly to provide solutions to every customer’s individual needs and offer a multitude of options for our clients to select from.

If you desire the privacy of a private jet charter or the elegance of a VIP Jet, like a Boeing Business Jet, or even if you’re an organization looking to book your group travel on a 737 Charter, we find solutions to meet and exceed your expectations. Jeff Alan is the Air Charter Guru. Having spent nearly two decades in the Transportation Industry, he leverages his knowledge, experience, and extensive network to create “Intelligent Solutions for Time Critical Transport”.

Feel free to comment or contact us at any time via e-mail at airchrterguru@hotmail.com or you can reach us at 866-501-GURU (4878).

Why use an Air Charter Broker??

Wisdom. There are numerous opportunities in which customers or direct shippers can go directly to the carrier when seeking Air Charter services. In those instances where the transaction is very simple, the passengers and or cargo are available, the carrier has a plane just sitting around, then sure – absolutely go direct with the carrier.

Where the broker earns their fee, is when there are no aircraft to be found. Or perhaps there are plenty of aircraft, just not the one you need for your transit. Maybe even there are planes, just what you need, but the price..UGH!! Now it’s time to talk to the Guru.

Air Charter Brokers, like AirCharterGuru.com thrive on challenge. What others find difficult, or even impossible, we eat that stuff up. Difficulty, doing the impossible (OK, what others think is impossible) is what we live for. Nothing we do provides a greater reward than doing what others could not, or would not. This is where the experience of your broker, their contacts, their perserverance, pays off.

Speaking for AirCharterGuru.com, we operate globally. We have contacts on every continent. Although the majority of our commerce transacts here in North America, we have global reach. Partners who like to work with us do so because we operate openly, fairly and are focused on satisfying the needs of our customers. Great minds think alike.

Not to sound like a commercial, but brokers in general use their contacts to solve problems. If everything went to plan, no one would ever need to charter aircraft. The urgent nature of Air Charters almost always is a by-product of some sort of failure in the supply chain, or failure of regular suppliers to be able to fulfill the need to deliver persons or goods when promised or needed.

In short, what you’re paying the broker for are these; the broker’s time, their expertise, their many years spent cultivating relationships with providers, and most importantly intelligence.

When I say intelligence what I mean is knowledge of existing conditions on the ground. These things are like; who has which aircraft where, when is the next spike in traffic from a specific region taking place, what effects are certain global events going to have on capacity, which carrier just bought 3 new aircraft – and what/where are they? Information is the commodity not the aircraft.

When you think of an Air Charter Broker, what do you think of?

We hope you’ll think of AirCharterGuru.com for your future needs.

visit us at www.aircharterguru.com

The conversation continues to rage on regarding the wisdom of selecting an Air Cargo Charter over Expedited Truck. Primarily the controversy surrounds the cost differential between the two. Of course the Air Charter option is nearly always the more expensive option. There are numerous circumstances where the Air Charter makes more sense economically.
I can cite several examples of instances where the Emergency Air Charter is significantly more cost effective. Assuming all other factors being equal, time is money. If for example you’re operating an Oil Drilling Platform or Rig, the down time for the Rig is significantly outweighed by nearly ANY cost of the Air Cargo Charter. Similarly, if you operate a manufacturing plant and you run out of part “X” and now your line shuts down, the Air Charter cost is miniscule compared to the costs in lost production, payroll for the staff to stand around and the loss of goodwill with your customer who will not receive his product on time. Two pretty standard examples.

A not so standard example is shipping over shorter distances. Take for instance shipping 400 pounds from Detroit to Louisville, KY. An Air Charter cost would probably be below the cost to send via Expedited Truck, and arrive sooner. Another instance is an oversize or “permitted” load which requires special handling at either end such as a crane. These permitted loads can run as much as $40 per mile, PLUS escort service fees. This is also not taking into account the unbelievable amount of preliminary legwork required to arrange transport, obtain permits and so forth before the shipment even moves. Couple these factors with the extended transport times and Air Charter is a bargain not only in dollars and cents, but in time saved and aggravation.
The standard rule of measure when deciding what’s the best route take is this; determine if Air Cargo Charter meets or exceeds the customer’s time requirement, and if in fact time is money, does the circumstance justify the expense. Really how much do several hours of delay cost your client in the overall scheme.

Many times Expedited Truck is preferable not just for economic impact but an additional 1-2 hours in transit actually put the arrival at the end user ahead of Air Cargo Charter. When making a determination, deference to the customer’s judgment is a safe road to take. Customers will generally agree that they employ our services specifically for our expertise and our ability to advise them and give them viable options which will enhance or enable their enterprise, furthering their success. We are the experts, that’s what they pay us for.

Like this info…there’s much more at www.aircharterguru.com