Types of flights. What is a charter flight? Cheap flights without discounts

One of the questions regarding flying is related to the type of flight. And if experienced travelers can easily figure it out, then for a beginner it will not be so obvious at the beginning.

So, flights can be divided into:

• Direct
• Transit
• Composite

Direct flights

The shortest in duration, but usually the most expensive. A direct flight means a non-stop flight, so they always take less time. The cost of a regular direct flight is usually more expensive than that of a regular transit flight. However, if we are talking about a charter flight, which is also almost always direct, then in this case its price may be lower than that of a regular transit one.

Transit flights

The most popular type of flight these days for long flights. As a rule, no more than 1-2 transfers are made. These flights are cheaper due to the fact that the airline from several points around the world collects different flights at the connecting point and transfers everyone together into one large plane. The transplant can last from 1 hour to several days. Most often - 3-9 hours. If you purchase a ticket for a transit flight, always check the number of transfers and the time you need to spend at the transfer point.

In the case of a transit flight, baggage is always checked in to the final destination. Even if you want to get off at the transfer point, you are unlikely to have your luggage checked in to the transfer point.

When you find yourself at the transfer airport, you will not need to go through passport control; you will be in the transit zone the entire time. Once you get off the plane, you can easily find signs indicating where you need to go on your next flight.

If the first flight is late, the next one will either wait for you, or the airline will transfer everyone to a later flight. This way, you don't have to worry about it or deal with any issues related to the delay.

Composite flights

Compound flights are flights with transfers operated by different airlines. But you need to distinguish between a composite flight, which you combine yourself, and the one that is offered to you through an air ticket search service.

In the first case, these are separate independent flights with baggage collection, passport control and exit from the transit zone (a visa may be required). And here you yourself will need to calculate the time in order to have time to transfer from one plane to another.

In the second option, a composite flight is actually no different from a transit flight, although it is operated by different airlines.

Modern realities provide every person with the opportunity to see the world. Most citizens prefer to travel by air - this method significantly reduces travel time and is considered quite comfortable. People who have flown by plane have heard of the concept of “charter flights”. We invite you to learn the nuances about the specifics of such travel and clarify what this term means.

Let's start with a clear definition, What is a charter plane flight? Compared to regular transportation, such routes are carried out by prior agreement. The intermediary in this scheme is the tourist operator, who submits applications to the contractor for routes that are optimal for tourists. Sometimes this role is played by an ordinary independent reseller, who subsequently offers convenient routes for specific travel companies.

A charter flight involves transporting passengers along a specific route that is not listed on the schedule.

If we compare this method of travel with land transport, which is familiar to many people, readers will easily answer the question: “Charter flight - what does it mean?” After all, the first analogy here is transportation to order. Accordingly, it is impossible to fly such planes on your own - such routes are not listed on the schedules. You can only buy air tickets here from a specific tour operator. Of course, this also involves ordering a ready-made tour from this company, although there are exceptions.

The intermediary offering this method of transportation is responsible for its quality and timeliness. In addition, a third party is preparing to assemble the aircraft for departure. This will require completing the necessary paperwork for passengers to fly, preparing a list of reservations, and implementing a set of related activities.

According to experts, charter flights are a way to reduce the load on airlines during the holidays of most citizens and peak tourist seasons. Although this option has some features and inconveniences, there are also advantages. Let's take a closer look at all the rumors associated with this type of transportation and figure out how true they are.

Charter classification

Charters provide separate types of flights. The cheapest planes are those chartered for up to 10 days. They carry out the flight, stay for the agreed time and take passengers back. Experts call this method a layover charter or a time charter. Let's list other types of such methods of delivering tourists:

• shuttle– regular flights to deliver passengers to the required point;
• split– combining a flight with a regular route involving transfers of tourists; experts call a route involving more than two transfers a poly charter;
• closed flight– corporate transportation of passengers;
• VIP – chartering a liner for a certain period of time with the customer’s full right to use the board at his own discretion.

Time charters are flights where the board delivers passengers to the desired point, stays there for an agreed period of time and takes people back

In addition, the intermediary has the right to buy and. This option is called block charter. This is usually done by operators who do not have a sufficient number of passenger requests to buy the entire plane.

Route specifics

People who have used such services talk about the imperfections and low comfort of such flights. But at the same time Passengers note the low cost of travel.

Let us briefly explain the reasons for this phenomenon. Since such routes are purchased by an intermediary, and often this is done for commercial purposes, there is a third party in addition to the carrier and tourists. Coordination of the interests of the parties interested in the transaction does not exclude the manifestation of poor organization of the business. As a result, possible flight schedule overlaps and other nuances appear.

However, the cheapest flight today is a charter flight. Here they use aircraft only with an economy class cabin. The seats here are the same and the number of seats is increased relative to aircraft flying on a regular route. In addition, food provided for passengers is limited here. This causes frequent complaints from tourists.

There are also features with . Regular routes require the passenger to reserve a seat or purchase a ticket in advance. A charter is a flight on which the seats are purchased by an intermediary, so air tickets for such a flight are available only at the time of check-in. However, there are exceptions to the general rule here too. We'll discuss them later.

A charter flight differs from a regular flight in the presence of an intermediary

Since such flights involve some inconvenience, many people mistakenly believe that charters are not the best way to plan their route. Experts agree with this statement, but also note the advantages of this method. Let's talk about the advantages of such flights.

Positive sides

Let us list the advantages of this method over regular flights.

1. Flights on rare routes. As a rule, this type of travel allows the tourist to reach countries where there are no flights. Often a charter becomes the only option to get to exotic and little-known places.
2. Cheap travel. It is foolish to deny the fact that such a flight has a fairly low cost. This is due to a combination of different factors, but the cheapness of the charter is obvious. These flights sometimes cost half the price of a regular flight.
3. No transfers. Here experts note that this plane follows a direct route and thereby reduces the inconvenience of passengers.

Charter flights are a cheap way to get to remote corners of the planet

The complex of such aspects makes this type of flight an attractive method for a certain category of tourists. Although we note that such flights are characterized negatively due to a large number of shortcomings. Let's talk about them too.

Disadvantages of charter flights

Answering the question: “Charter – what is it?”, experts simultaneously give a comprehensive description of the negative aspects of this type of flight. There are many disadvantages here - after all, the flight was created by an intermediary exclusively for commercial purposes. The main disadvantages of this method are:

1. Possibility of flight delay or rescheduling. Because charters do not involve transfers, air traffic controllers give priority for landings and departures to planes that operate scheduled flights in order to meet the schedule.
2. Inability to purchase a ticket in advance. As we said, you can only get a seat on such a plane when you check in for your flight. In rare exceptions, air tickets go on sale immediately before departure or the day before the planned flight.
3. Strictly regulated periods of stay at the resort. The specifics of the charter imply specific days of departure from the country, so the passenger will not be able to shorten or extend the trip by purchasing seats in both directions.
4. Flights in standard economy cabins. The desire of a tourist to travel comfortably in such cases cannot be realized. After all, there is no provision for the passenger to change his seat to a more prestigious equivalent.
5. Impossibility of a refund for a purchased air ticket. If force majeure occurs, the passenger will not return the ticket. Refunds are also not possible. A purchased place can only be re-registered to another person.
6. Lack of bonus accounting. This type of flight does not involve the accrual of bonus miles, as for regular flights.

Given the many disadvantages of chartering, many people are wary of this type of travel. However, in certain situations, such a route becomes the only way to get to the desired point in the world. We have briefly discussed the general specifics of the flight, and now we will dwell in more detail on the nuances of purchasing seats on such flights.

Features of purchasing air tickets

Since the entire flight is purchased by an intermediary, the purchase of seats here has its own specifics. When chartering a board, a travel company calculates the return on investment of the transaction. It is profitable for the company to sell all charter tickets. What does this mean? Experts talk about lack of general access to purchase these securities. Although today intermediaries place unsold remaining tickets on specialized portals. You will visit one of them by following this link. You can also purchase a seat on board directly from the tour operator..

It is believed that the most a reliable option for a passenger is to purchase a tour that includes a flight. Indeed, if the ship is not full enough, the flight is postponed for a certain period. And changing the airport depending on the departure time is not uncommon here. Independent purchase of an air ticket is possible only two days before the planned trip. This is rare here; sometimes operators use this technique, but only a day before departure.

Experts' opinion

There are many misconceptions passengers have regarding this flight option. Most people are sure that such transportation is carried out only by outdated models of airliners. Experts categorically disagree with this statement. Charters include flying on different aircraft, including modern aircraft.

Contrary to popular belief, a charter cannot be canceled - flights are only postponed with a significant time shift

Many passengers talk about poor food and lack of service. Here experts note the fact of providing the required minimum services, which are determined by the flight range. In addition, if the plane is delayed, passengers have the right to use the service provided by the carrier airline - free meals at the airport and overnight accommodation in case of serious disruptions to the travel schedule.

Some tourists negatively characterize a charter flight due to the possibility of trip cancellation. Experts convince us of the opposite opinion. If full payment is made for the seat, the passenger will be delivered to their destination. True, the departure dates are significantly shifted. Of course, for people who have strict time limits, such rules are tantamount to canceling a flight without financial compensation.

Existing restrictions on baggage transportation are also the reason for the widespread opinion that it is prohibited to transport items on such flights. Here experts are talking about set limits, and not about a complete restriction. This point depends on the specific airline. After all, traveling in economy class requires rationing of passengers' luggage.

For such flights, aircraft suitable for capacity and level of comfort are used, and not old models.

The review quite fully characterizes the specifics and nuances of this method of travel. After reading the material, readers have the right to draw their own conclusions and determine the advisability of such trips. After all, the lack of high-quality service and the listed inconveniences here are compensated by the price of the flight and the opportunity to directly follow a route that is not offered by airlines.

A charter flight involves transporting passengers along a specific route, which is not listed on the schedule, on a pre-chartered aircraft
Experts call time charters the cheapest option for such flights - flights where the board delivers passengers to the desired point, stays there for an agreed period of time and takes people back
A charter flight differs from a regular flight in the presence of an intermediary who buys seats on board and offers his own flight route.
Charter flights are a cheap way to get to remote corners of the planet
Many people consider the lack of business class seats in the cabin and the low comfort of transportation to be a serious disadvantage of charters
Usually, you can only get a ticket for a charter flight during check-in.

As previously noted, maritime transport products are the movement of goods and passengers due to social need. The movement process is cyclical and for a transport vessel consists of separate trips. Flight- a completed transport and technological cycle of the vessel’s operation for transporting a specified amount of cargo and passengers between specified ports. The voyage is the most important object of organizing, rationing and analyzing the work of the company’s fleet. Start of the flight - the moment of completion of cargo operations and registration of cargo documents for the previous flight; end of flight- the moment of actual completion of unloading and registration of cargo documents for this flight. Ballast crossings join the transport cycles that caused them. Thus, the “inter-voyage” time is excluded from the time the vessel is used for transportation (except for the period when the vessel is taken out of service). Necessary breaks between voyages (inspections, repairs) are carried out in accordance with schedule plans based on the company’s instructions to remove the vessel from service. A ship's voyage, that is, the carriage of cargo by sea, can be considered as a set of technological processes consisting of individual work processes of the ship and ports, which, in turn, consist of a number of operations (Fig. 6.1.). For ports, this process is covered in Chapter 5.

Fig.6.1. Voyage as a set of work processes of the ship and port.

Technological process of operation of a sea vessel consists of the following basic operations and techniques:

· delivery for loading- establishing the timing of placement for loading in accordance with the transportation plan, vessel traffic schedule and port information on the actual availability of cargo or the timing of their arrival, registration of arrival, maneuvering in the port waters and when placing at the berth, mooring;

· parking at the port for loading- preparing cargo spaces and hatches for cargo acceptance, checking the transportability of cargo for the possibility of acceptance for sea transportation, working with the ship's cargo facilities, placing and stowing cargo in holds, securing cargo, closing holds, preparing cargo documents;

· preparing for departure- determining the most profitable and safe routes for the vessel, receiving fuel, fresh water, supplying materials, spare parts, equipment, food, processing documents for the vessel’s departure from the port;

· exit from the port- preparation for unmooring (towing), unmooring, leaving the berth with the help of tugs, maneuvering in the port waters, leaving the port;

· navigation (movement) of a ship- includes all operations to control the vessel during navigation. Subsequent work processes - the vessel's entry into the ports of unloading and parking in these ports for unloading include operations and techniques similar to those discussed above, which are performed when the vessel is docked for loading and leaving the port.

The operations that collectively make up the work processes and technological process of the vessel include: entry of the vessel into the port of loading, parking of the vessel under loading, movement of the vessel at sea (sailing), entry into the port of unloading, parking under unloading, exit from the port after unloading . Some of these operations may be absent or combined with others. The possibilities of such a combination are usually taken into account in the technical and economic standardization of the technological process of a vessel’s operation.

Let us recall that the technological process of the port consists of the following work processes:

· acceptance of goods for transportation;

· preparing the port for receiving ships;

· loading of ships;

· preparing the port for ship departures;

· provision of waste.

Subsequent work processes: preparing the port to receive ships for unloading cargo, unloading cargo, handing it over to the recipient include similar operations as when receiving cargo from the sender. Vessels and ports directly interact in the initial and final phases of the transport process. Here lie the most important reserves for improving the transportation process. An effort should be made to combine operations from the technological process of ships and the technological process of ports (for example, operations to prepare a port for the departure of a vessel with operations to prepare a vessel for a voyage).

It is necessary to reduce as much as possible the number of operations in the work processes of seaports, as well as the number of uncombined operations in the work processes of ships. To do this you should:

· develop a direct option for cargo transshipment (there are no warehousing and storage operations);

· develop container and package transportation (techniques for weighing, marking cargo, and forming lifts are excluded);

· develop linear shipping (strict time regulation of processes and their better consistency are ensured);

· achieve maximum combination of all auxiliary operations in the operation of ships and ports.

Voyage duration() - the most important operational indicator of the operation of maritime transport, includes the running () and parking () time of the vessel:

Flight time is measured in days or hours.

Vessel running time is composed of the net running time (t clean.x), when the ship is moving at full speed (loaded or in ballast) and the time the ship is moving at a limited speed () when maneuvering in ports, passing channels and narrows, sailing in ice, etc. and depends on the speed of the vessel (V) and the transportation distance (L):

.

Net running time determined by dividing the shortest distance traveled by the vessel without the length of the vessel's sections at a limited speed () by the technical speed, adjusted in accordance with the speed reduction standards established by shipping companies (ΔV).

.

The time of movement of a vessel at a limited speed is calculated in accordance with the standards using the formula:

Vessel's mooring time consists of the time of cargo operations () and additional time () and depends on the amount of loaded or unloaded cargo (Q), the size of the vessel, the number and size of cargo spaces, the productivity of ship and shore-based cargo equipment, the degree of comprehensive mechanization and organization of vessel handling.

.

Additional time may include both auxiliary operations () and vessel downtime for meteorological () and production () reasons (for example, waiting for the vessel to berth, waiting for cargo, mechanical malfunction):

.

Cargo and auxiliary operations are standardized by time. The time for their production can be planned. Thus, the vessel’s stay time for cargo operations can be calculated using the formula:

where: M - norms of cargo work (norms of loading - M p and unloading - M c).

Freight work standards are contractual or regulatory conditions that determine the number of units, weight or volume of cargo to be loaded or unloaded per unit of time (usually an hour, shift or day). They can be installed as a whole for the vessel or on each of its working hatches.

Work on auxiliary operations of the vessel is combined with the process of cargo operations, except in cases where this combination is contrary to safety regulations or is impossible for technological reasons, as well as if it is necessary to completely or partially stop cargo operations to prepare the cargo spaces of the ship (disinfection, deratization, degassing, fumigation).

The auxiliary operations of the vessel include: shifting from one berth to another; constriction along the pier; cleaning of cargo spaces; opening and closing cargo hatches; inspection and acceptance of ships by various inspections before loading or unloading cargo; identification and destruction of deviation and radio deviation; registration of cargo documents; registration of the arrival and departure of the vessel by the port and customs; supplying the vessel with fuel, water, provisions, and spare parts. The dwell time for auxiliary operations depends on the availability of supply bases, bunker bases, technical capabilities of the port, etc.

Downtime for meteorological reasons can be assumed based on climatic reference data: frequency of rain, strong winds, presence of tidal phenomena, etc.

Downtime for production reasons is not planned, but they can be assumed based on the experience of other ships in a given port or ports of a given country.

In maritime transport there are different flights:

· simple;

· complex;

· circular.

Simple flight- transportation of goods between two ports.

The duration of a simple voyage (Fig. 6.2) is the sum of the vessel's mooring time at the loading port (), travel time between ports () and the vessel's mooring time at the unloading port ():

.

In Fig. 6.2. The ballast passage of the vessel to the new loading port and its elements are also shown: the speed of the vessel in ballast - , the distance between ports B and C - and sailing time - .

Rice. 6.2. Simple flight diagram.

So, during a simple voyage, the ship transports Q tons of cargo over a distance of L miles. It spends days, receives F US dollars of income for work and incurs expenses in the amount of R US dollars. The flight is usually standardized by time, quantity of transport products (in physical or financial terms) and costs.

Difficult flight- a ship transports cargo between several ports, at each of which it is partially loaded or unloaded. The duration of the voyage is determined by summing up the loading and unloading time at the ports, the transition time between them and the time to prepare a new voyage (Fig. 6.3):

where: - the time the vessel stays in ports, necessary for carrying out cargo and auxiliary operations related to departure;

Travel time between ports;

The time the vessel stays in ports, necessary for carrying out cargo and auxiliary operations related to the arrival.

The general calculation expression for the time of a complex flight has the form:

where: n – the number of ship passages between ports per voyage;

m – number of ship loadings per voyage;

p – number of ship unloads per voyage.

A charter is nothing more than an analogue of a charter agreement, which is widely used in air traffic, as well as in international merchant shipping. Its essence is that the charterer - the owner of the ship or aircraft - places it at the disposal of the charterer for an agreed amount so that he could transport passengers or cargo.

Everything is just as simple with regard to charter flights. Charterers are airlines, charterers are travel agencies or tour operators. A tour operator/travel agency/several travel agencies purchases an airline aircraft for a specific destination and for a specific season.

1. Shuttle charters. Shuttle, because there and back. That is, the plane takes one group of tourists and picks up the already rested group, so as not to fly empty. Prices for charter flights of this type are usually high during the peak season. The thing is that the first and last flights of a shuttle charter plane are always empty, and this is a significant expense item for the tour operator who bought it. The first flight is when the plane still has no one to pick up, and the last flight is when there is no longer anyone to bring.

2. Charter sucks. This is the option when a charter plane brings tourists and waits for them throughout the entire vacation period in a special settling tank, on average from 7 to 10 days. Of course, the consolidator who bought the charter flight in this case has to pay for the rental of the settling tank. But it is still cheaper than flying an empty plane as is the case with a shuttle charter. In addition, travel companies usually resort to this option when the demand for a destination obviously justifies the money spent on parking.

3. Split charter. A split charter is a combination of a scheduled and charter flight. For example, tourists fly on a regular flight to a city, from where they can only get to their final destination by charter, where they transfer to a charter flight. This happens when major airlines do not serve a certain destination, or for certain reasons it is impossible to send a regular flight to the destination.

Split charter is very common for flights from Russia to the exotic islands of the Indian Ocean, when tourists fly regularly to Dubai and then transfer to a charter there. In cases where you have to change planes several times (when traveling to very exotic or hard-to-reach places), we are talking about polycharter flights.

Now let's continue talking about charter flights as a phenomenon. From the above it is clear that charter flights are not included in the regular schedule. They are usually performed for a short period of time, during the peak tourist season. Rarely - up to one year. The Constitution of the Russian Federation includes regulations relating to charter flights. The task of approving them lies on the shoulders of the State Civil Aviation Service.

Disadvantages of charter flights

— air tickets for charter flights are issued no earlier than a day or two before departure. And it happens that plane tickets are delivered directly to the airport. Agree that such a feature can make you worry;

— usually the flight time on a charter flight can hardly be called convenient. And all because for a charter flight you have to look for a ‘window’ between regular flights;

— charter flights are prone to delays, and you need to be prepared for this. The fact is that when the airport is overloaded, priority is given to regular flights and only after them charters depart. In any case, in case of long delays, passengers can always count on being provided with a free hotel room and this is not the only responsibility of the airline that delayed the flight;

— an air ticket for a charter flight cannot be returned or the date of the flight can be changed, which, however, also applies to tickets on regular routes at the lowest or special fares;

— the flight may be canceled altogether, which, however, rarely happens. Unlike a regular flight, which will take place even if there is only one passenger on board, a charter flight may be marked down due to the flight being unoccupied. Which, however, happens extremely rarely, since charters are launched only during the peak tourist season or holidays, when occupancy is almost impossible;

— on a charter flight you may not find the usual services, such as drinks, food, blankets, pillows, etc. Although this is not a rule and a charter flight can also be quite comfortable;

— while on regular routes the aircraft cabin is divided into classes, and it is also possible to reserve a specific seat, before a charter flight you will be seated, as they say, in the order of priority. The main goal of tour operators is to completely fill the cabin of the plane, so don’t expect too much comfort.

Despite so many disadvantages of charter flights, their popularity is not decreasing at all. And all because the main advantage of a charter flight outweighs all the disadvantages. And all this is due to the cheapness of air tickets for charter flights.

In order to understand where such cheap prices come from, we can take a closer look at the mechanism of action of consolidators. Imagine that the tour operator bought all the plane tickets, naturally under special conditions. Now, to entice tourists, he is offering these tickets at a price about a third below the market price. And the closer the flight date, the greater the desire of the consolidator to sell the remaining air tickets, which a few days before departure can be purchased up to 70% cheaper than their average cost.

In addition to being cheap, charter flights have another advantage. Often, a charter may be the only possible option to get to the vacation spot. The network of regular flights does not cover all cities. Some resorts can only be reached by charter plane, such as Moscow Cape Verde. Sometimes a charter is simply more convenient. In cases where it takes a long time to get to your holiday destination on a regular flight and requires transfers, or when regular flights are overcrowded, a charter becomes the best alternative.

A ticket for a charter flight can be transferred to another person, which cannot be said about plane tickets on a regular route. And, besides, the planes on charter flights are not at all old and broken down, as most tourists believe. This quality is not exactly one of the advantages of charters, but it is worth mentioning at least in order to dispel the myth of an imaginary disadvantage. In fact, for charter flights, airlines allocate the same aircraft that serve regular routes. It even happens that the plane has just arrived from a regular destination and is immediately assigned to charter service.

The TU-154M usually flies to Western Europe. In most cases, charters are served by TU-154 or IL-86. At the last moment, the aircraft type may be changed. If, for example, more air tickets are sold than expected, an IL-86 will most likely take the flight. If fewer than the planned number of air tickets are sold, the TU-154 will fly.

Where to buy a ticket for a charter flight

Since charter flights are organized by travel agencies or tour operators, you can buy air tickets for such a flight from them first of all. And most often, the plane ticket is included in the tour package. The flight was paid for by the consolidator, which means that only he can sell air tickets; the airline does not have the right to do so.

But still, the opportunity to buy a charter ticket separately exists. When the plane is not completely full and there are unsold seats, travel agencies sell air tickets separately. You can find them directly at the agency, or on professional travel forums. On the 'tour house', for example, there is a special section where tour operators sell off remaining air tickets, often at incredibly low prices. Aviasales also allows its users to find air tickets for charter flights and immediately buy them while the offer is valid.

Searched on our website

It is worth considering that if the tour is suddenly canceled and the plane for which the charter ticket was purchased does not fly anywhere, you will not be refunded the cost of the missing ticket. It should also be said that purchasing a charter air ticket on your own will cost a little more than as part of a tour package. But, nevertheless, this will be a serious saving compared to the cost of flying on a regular flight. If you believe the opinions of experts, you can save up to 300% on charter flights to Europe, and from 50 to 100% on long-haul flights.

In general, this is everything you need to know about charter flights in order to understand what to prepare for and what to expect. Read also about what to do at the airport if you are flying for the first time.

During charter transportation, any organization can act as a customer: a large business association, a tourism company, an industrial enterprise, an educational institution, a socio-political party, etc. These organizations can charter aircraft for:

• - transporting its employees for business or other purposes, to deliver tourists to vacation spots;
• - fans to the venues of sporting events;
• - youth and schoolchildren for the purpose of implementing excursion and entertainment programs;
• - believers in pilgrimage centers;
• - congressmen for holding congresses and conferences, etc.

In this regard, in world practice, a number of commercial types of charters are distinguished.

Closed charter. Its peculiarity is that the organization purchasing the charter pays entirely for the transportation of its employees. As a rule, such transportation routes are not included in regular air lines. Closed charter accounts for a small percentage of the total volume of charter flights.

Target charter. This is the transportation of specialized groups of passengers united by a certain purpose: football fans, athletes flying to major international competitions; members of professional associations, festival participants, pilgrims, etc. The charter customer is the relevant organization, which can partially pay its members for transportation.

Inclusive tour charter. As a rule, this is the transportation of tourists, organized and paid for by a travel agency. In this case, the cost of the ticket is included in the cost of the tour. The flight in this case is quite cheap for tourists, since the price of an air ticket with an air charter is 30-50% lower compared to the cheapest discounted fares. Inclusive tour charters and destination charters are the most common types of air travel on the charter market.

Block charter. This option involves the customer purchasing only part of the commercial capacity of the aircraft (20-30 seats) on a regular flight. In this case, payment is made, as a rule, for the entire block of seats, regardless of whether all purchased seats are used or not. A block charter is usually used if a travel agency does not have enough tourists to rent the entire plane. The agreement for a quota of seats between a travel agency and a carrier can be of a “hard” or “soft” nature. With a “hard” quota of places, the company does not have the right to refuse unsold declared places, and in this case it incurs financial losses. If the contract is concluded according to a “soft” scheme, then the airline sets a deadline before which the travel agent can refuse the quota of declared seats or part of it. With this option, the carrier reserves the right to sell these seats to its other clients. Block charter is not always profitable for airlines, since the sale of air tickets in this case is at a lower price than usual. However, at the height of the season, when demand for tickets is high, carriers try not to deny travel agencies such a service.

Non-target charter. It is a transportation in which a group of air passengers is selected regardless of the purpose of the trip. The organizer of this type of flight can be any transport company that acts as an intermediary in passenger transportation from one point to another. For example, the Moscow Tourist Transport Company (MTTK), created in May 1999, is a large consolidator company that organizes this type of transportation. It offers services to charter users, collaborating with two airlines, Aviaenergo and Pulkovo. At the same time, the company provides tickets for charter flights not only to Moscow and regional travel agencies, but also to corporate and private clients traveling for a variety of purposes.

Split charter. Refers to the most complex type of passenger transportation, which is carried out on regular and irregular flights on different sections of the route. In this case, the group being formed may include passengers traveling to different destinations.

Depending on the conditions of use of the aircraft, charters can be divided into several types: one-time charter, time charter and charter chain.

With a one-time charter, the plane delivers tourists to their destination and immediately flies back. If the flight is planned “round-trip”, then after some time the plane must fly for tourists to pick them up at the original point of departure. With such transportation, the charterer of the aircraft orders flights for certain dates and on these dates the airline is obliged to provide the aircraft for the charter flight. The rest of the time, the carrier uses this aircraft in accordance with its plans.

One-off charters are rarely used because they require too much fuel. The amount of jet fuel required for a flight depends on the route and type of aircraft. The price of kerosene varies in different countries from 250 to 500 US dollars per ton. Naturally, purchasing fuel for idle runs of the plane (after tourists disembark, the plane flies back, as a rule, empty, and returns empty for them) is extremely unprofitable.

A time charter involves chartering an aircraft for a certain period of time. Moreover, after delivering passengers from one point to another, the plane does not fly back, but remains at the arrival airport for the entire duration of the tourists’ stay at the destination. Sometimes a time charter is called a “one-time charter”. A time charter is beneficial to the customer if the period of stay of tourists in the destination is not too long (from 1 2 days to a week). In this case, the customer pays for the time of use of the aircraft, based on the cost of a flight hour and the cost of aircraft downtime, incurs additional costs for parking the aircraft at the airport, pays for the maintenance and accommodation of the crew, and in some cases, the carrier’s costs for removing the aircraft from a regular flight. What type of charter flight to choose with or without layover is decided by the travel agency, based mainly on financial interests. In most cases, the carrier (if there is a sufficient fleet of vehicles) benefits from all one-time charters, since he immediately receives a guaranteed payment for the entire transportation, regardless of how busy the flight is.

A charter chain is a type of charter in which an aircraft regularly charters to one (or more) destinations in a round-trip shuttle pattern. At the same time, he takes one group of tourists and picks up another. Such charter flights are also called charter flights on a regular basis, since in essence they are close to regular flights.

It is beneficial to organize charter chains during the season of mass transportation associated with tourist recreation. In this case, only the first and last flights of the aircraft are unproductive costs (when the plane returns empty after delivering the first group of tourists and flies empty after the last group).

The travel agency distributes the costs of idle runs of the aircraft among all links in the chain. Therefore, the longer the charter chain itself and the more frequent the flights, the lower the travel agency’s costs for transporting empty seats will be and the cheaper transportation will be for tourists. A charter chain is usually organized for a period of 4-5 months. with a flight frequency of 1-2 times a week, less than once every 1014 days.

After the end of each shuttle flight of the charter chain, the aircraft is used by the airline at its discretion, but by the time a new flight is made, it must be provided to the customer at the departure airport. The carrier assumes responsibility for the timely delivery of the aircraft to the starting point of the charter flight, while the flights of the aircraft can be idle or loaded; this issue is decided by the airline itself. The travel agency does not pay for the flights of the aircraft to and from the point of departure of transportation, but the carrier is not obliged to make any compensation payments to the customer in the event of a commercial load of the flight during the flights.