Flying in General Aviation aircraft has some unique advantages over flying with scheduled airlines but there are also some areas where we operate differently. It is important to be aware of these areas.
We can be much more flexible, going to places inaccessible to bigger aircraft, flying more direct routes and at the dates and times of your choosing.
We operate twin-engine aircraft for added safety and speed which means that your travel can be over large expanses of water as well as at night. Generally we fly when the weather is reasonably good. We don’t fly when there’s heavy rain forecast, fog or thunderstorms. This is for obvious safety reasons but also we want you to enjoy a pleasant and comfortable flight.
When you charter our aircraft it’s somewhat like hiring a taxi. It might be a bit more expensive than taking the bus but we go directly to your destination, saving valuable time and you can take a few friends, colleagues or family with you at no extra charge when fuel and weight considerations permit. Sharing the cost with others often means that the total cost of your trip can be less than with the scheduled airlines.
Smaller airplanes are somewhat limited in weight we can carry. Please don’t be offended when we ask for your weight. Carry-on baggage is generally limited to 10 kilos per person in soft bags but more luggage can be taken if there are fewer passengers on your flight. Please email or fax us a list of passenger names and their weights and the weight of the carry-on baggage a day before the flight.
Not surprisingly, it’s against the law to carry dangerous goods or firearms in an aircraft. If in doubt, check with us first.
As a rule, payment by credit card, cheque or cash may be made at the time of booking with money fully refunded if, for instance, really bad weather prevents us from flying.
If you want to fly back to the point of departure (usually Albany) on the same day, there’s no charge for the first two hours of waiting. After that, a charge of $50 per hour applies to a maximum of $350 per day. And for return flights on the next day an accommodation & meals charge of $250 for the pilot applies or you may elect to provide these yourself.
On rare occasions bad weather might delay the return flight for some hours or a day or so. This is no different than flying with the airlines. We will do everything we can to make the wait as comfortable as possible but meals and accommodation will have to be paid for individually.
Unlike with scheduled airlines, when you book with Albany Aviation you may substitute passengers (no individual tickets are issued) or may reschedule the flight for a later date. You may also cancel your booking up to 24 hours before the flight and have your money fully refunded. For cancellations after that (other than for bad weather) a flight preparation fee of $200 may be deducted or the flight may be re-scheduled at no charge.
All flights are quoted inclusive of GST and do include all landing fees and airways charges.
At all times you can expect from us the utmost in courtesy, professionalism and dedication to safety.
