The unwritten protocols that distinguish experienced charter clients from first-timers
The first-time charter client treats his Gulfstream flight like a status trophy to be displayed. He photographs the aircraft obsessively, addresses the captain by first name within minutes of boarding, treats the cabin attendant as personal servant, and generally behaves in ways that make experienced private aviation professionals exchange knowing glances. He has the resources to charter but lacks the sophistication to do so gracefully.
The result is neither comfortable for him nor pleasant for the crew serving him.Contrast this with the seasoned charter client who has flown privately for years. She boards efficiently with minimal fuss, greets the crew professionally but warmly, settles into her work or relaxation without requiring constant attention, and deplanes with appropriate thanks and gratuity. The crew genuinely enjoys serving her not because she is easy to please but because she understands the protocols that make private aviation function smoothly. Her behavior signals experience, respect for the professionals serving her, and the quiet confidence that requires no performance.
Private aviation etiquette exists in that peculiar space where substantial wealth meets service industry protocols. The rules are largely unwritten, learned through experience or guidance from those who have navigated these environments before. Violating them does not prevent you from flying but does mark you as nouveau rather than genuinely sophisticated. More importantly, poor etiquette creates friction that diminishes the experience for everyone involved.
At Mynt Models, many of our clients travel extensively via private aviation, sometimes bringing companions on business trips or leisure getaways. We have observed across thousands of arrangements which behaviors create seamless experiences versus awkward complications. This knowledge proves valuable whether you are new to charter aviation or simply wish to refine your understanding of the protocols that experienced travelers take for granted.
Table of Contents
The Booking and Scheduling Process
Private aviation etiquette begins long before you board the aircraft, starting with how you interact with charter brokers and operators during the booking process.
Clarity and Decisiveness
Charter operators appreciate clients who communicate clearly about requirements and make decisions efficiently. Provide specific details: departure city and FBO preference, destination and preferred arrival facility, passenger count including any guests or companions, luggage quantity, and any special needs like dietary restrictions or ground transportation requirements. The more complete your initial information, the more accurately they can quote and prepare.
Avoid the trap of treating brokers as travel agents to explore hypothetical options endlessly. One or two quote requests with reasonable variations is professional. Six requests comparing minute differences across multiple aircraft types suggests you are not serious or do not understand your actual needs. Make decisions within reasonable timeframes rather than leaving operators uncertain whether you will actually book.
Understanding Lead Time Expectations
While charter aviation offers substantial flexibility, last-minute requests create cascading complications for operators. When possible, book at least 48 to 72 hours in advance for domestic flights, longer for international travel requiring customs and immigration coordination. Same-day or next-day flights are certainly possible but recognize they require operators to work harder and may limit aircraft availability or increase costs.
If you regularly require short-notice availability, establish relationship with preferred operator who knows your patterns and can better accommodate your needs. This relationship approach works better than calling different operators for each last-minute request, as established clients receive priority when aircraft availability is limited.
Guest and Companion Disclosure
Always disclose all passengers during booking, including companions, colleagues, or guests. This affects aircraft selection (passenger capacity), catering requirements, customs documentation for international flights, and crew preparation. The experienced client mentions during initial booking that they will have a companion joining them, providing her name for manifest purposes and any preferences she might have.
Never surprise operators with additional passengers at departure. “I am bringing a companion” announced at the FBO creates unnecessary stress for crew who must adjust catering, verify weight and balance calculations, and potentially scramble to accommodate someone not planned for. This behavior marks you as inconsiderate rather than spontaneous.
FBO Protocol and Ground Operations
Fixed Base Operators (FBOs) serve as private aviation terminals, and understanding their protocols distinguishes experienced clients from those new to this world.
Arrival Timing
Arrive at the FBO approximately 15 to 20 minutes before scheduled departure for domestic flights, 30 to 45 minutes for international travel requiring customs processing. This is not TSA security timing but rather allows crew to complete final preparations, load luggage, and brief you on the flight without feeling rushed.
Arriving excessively early (an hour or more before departure) can be as problematic as arriving late. The aircraft may not yet be available, crew may still be in pre-flight preparations, and you create awkwardness by waiting obviously while they complete their work. The FBO lounge exists for comfortable waiting, but the goal is efficient departure not prolonged pre-flight staging.
Luggage and Loading
Bring luggage directly to the FBO rather than attempting to load it yourself at the aircraft. The crew or FBO staff handle loading, as they understand weight distribution requirements and proper securing procedures. Your involvement is unnecessary and potentially complicates their work. Simply ensure your bags arrive at the FBO and trust professionals to manage them appropriately.
For international travel, ensure luggage includes proper tags and that you have completed any required customs documentation. The experienced client has their assistant or travel coordinator handle these details in advance rather than discovering documentation gaps at departure.
Companions and Guests
If you are bringing a companion, brief her on appropriate FBO behavior if she is unfamiliar with private aviation. The environment is more relaxed than commercial terminals but still requires certain decorum. Appropriate dress (no beachwear or overly casual attire), respectful interaction with staff, and understanding that this is professional environment rather than party setting all matter.
The companion who has traveled privately before understands these protocols instinctively. If you engage a companion through a service like Mynt Models for a trip involving private aviation, mentioning this during arrangement ensures she arrives appropriately prepared and familiar with expected behavior. Our companions who regularly travel with clients via private aviation understand the environment and protocols thoroughly.
Onboard Behavior and Crew Interaction
How you interact with flight crew reveals substantial information about your experience level and general sophistication. Several principles guide appropriate behavior.
Professional Courtesy
Greet the crew professionally when boarding. A warm “good morning” or “good afternoon” with eye contact and perhaps a handshake for the captain demonstrates respect without forced familiarity. Use professional titles (Captain, not by first name unless they specifically invite it) and treat cabin attendants with the same courtesy you would any professional service provider.
The crew is not your personal staff in the sense of household employees. They are aviation professionals providing service within specific regulatory and safety frameworks. Treating them as servants rather than professionals reveals your lack of sophistication regardless of the aircraft’s luxury appointments.
Safety and Regulatory Compliance
When crew provide safety briefings or instructions, pay attention rather than dismissing them as irrelevant. Even if you have flown thousands of hours, each aircraft has specific emergency procedures and the crew is required to brief you. Interrupting with “I know all this” or ignoring the briefing entirely is discourteous and potentially dangerous.
Similarly, comply immediately with seatbelt signs, electronic device restrictions, and any other crew instructions. These are not suggestions but rather regulatory requirements that crew must enforce. The experienced client understands that even in private aviation, the captain has final authority over the aircraft and safety protocols apply regardless of who is paying for the flight.
Reasonable Requests and Service Expectations
Private aviation offers substantial service flexibility, but reasonable clients distinguish between appropriate requests and unreasonable demands. Asking for specific beverages, meal adjustments, or cabin temperature changes is entirely appropriate. Demanding that crew violate regulations, perform services outside their role, or accommodate requests that compromise safety or their professional dignity crosses into inappropriate territory.
The cabin attendant can prepare drinks, serve meals, and attend to comfort needs. They cannot babysit your children, perform personal services unrelated to the flight, or tolerate inappropriate behavior or comments. If you are unsure whether a request is appropriate, err on the side of not asking or phrase it as a polite question rather than an expectation.
Substance Consumption
While alcohol is certainly available and acceptable on private flights, visible intoxication creates discomfort for crew and other passengers. The experienced client enjoys a cocktail or wine with their meal but does not treat the flight as an opportunity to drink excessively. Crew have authority to limit alcohol service if they believe passenger intoxication could create safety or behavioral issues.
For substances beyond alcohol, understand that aircraft operators maintain strict policies regarding illegal drugs regardless of passenger preferences or state-level legalization. This is both regulatory requirement and liability protection. Do not place crew in the position of having to address substance issues that should never arise in the first place.
Traveling With Companions
When you bring a companion on a private flight, whether a romantic partner, business associate, or professional companion arranged through services like Mynt Models, several specific protocols apply.
Pre-Flight Communication
Brief your companion on expected behavior if she is unfamiliar with private aviation. This is not patronizing but rather helpful context that allows her to be comfortable and appropriate. Explain the boarding process, introduce her to crew appropriately, and generally ensure she understands the environment.
For companions arranged through Mynt Models for trips involving private aviation, this briefing is largely unnecessary as our companions who regularly accompany clients on such trips understand the protocols thoroughly. However, confirming specific preferences (her preferred beverages for catering, any dietary needs, whether she requires ground transportation at destination) helps crew prepare appropriately.
Introduction and Seating
When boarding with a companion, introduce her to the crew using her full name. “This is Sarah Miller” is professional and allows crew to address her appropriately. Do not use diminutive nicknames or cutesy introductions that make crew uncomfortable or position your companion as less than a respected passenger.
Allow your companion to select her preferred seating once you are shown the cabin. The gentleman does not dictate where she sits but rather defers to her comfort preferences. This courtesy extends to all aspects of the flight: asking if she needs anything, ensuring she is comfortable with cabin temperature, checking if she wants window shades adjusted.
Public Behavior Standards
While private aircraft offer privacy compared to commercial aviation, they are not completely private spaces. Crew are present and aircraft are equipped with various monitoring systems. Maintain behavior standards you would observe in other professional service environments. This particularly matters regarding physical intimacy, which should remain appropriate given that crew may enter the cabin for legitimate service reasons.
The experienced client understands that “private” aviation refers to dedicated aircraft rather than complete privacy from crew oversight. Conduct yourself and ensure your companion conducts herself accordingly.
International Flight Considerations
International private aviation involves additional protocols beyond domestic travel that require attention and advance preparation.
Documentation and Customs
Ensure all passengers have appropriate documentation well in advance of international flights. For US citizens, this means valid passports with adequate validity (many countries require six months remaining). For companions who are not US citizens, verify visa requirements for destination countries and ensure they have proper documentation.
Complete advance passenger information (APIs) and customs declarations accurately and thoroughly. Operators typically provide forms or electronic systems for this information. The experienced client has their office or travel coordinator handle this proactively rather than creating last-minute documentation issues.
Customs Processing
At international destinations, you will typically clear customs at the FBO rather than main commercial terminals. This is more comfortable but still requires cooperation with customs and immigration officials. Have documentation ready, answer questions directly and honestly, and understand that these officials have authority regardless of whether you arrived via private aircraft.
Bringing a companion through international customs requires her to have her own documentation and complete her own declarations. You cannot “clear” her on your own paperwork. Ensure she understands the process and has everything needed to clear customs independently even though you are traveling together.
Operating Permits and Overfly Rights
While these details are operator responsibilities rather than client concerns, understanding that international flights require various permits and clearances helps explain why international trips need longer lead times and cannot always accommodate last-minute routing changes. Appreciate the complexity operators manage behind the scenes to make your international travel possible.
Gratuities and Appreciation
Tipping in private aviation carries its own protocols that differ from both commercial aviation (where tipping is generally not customary) and ground service industries (where tipping standards are well established).
Crew Gratuities
While not strictly required, gratuities for exceptional service are appreciated and increasingly common in private aviation. Standard guidance suggests $50 to $100 per crew member for domestic flights, $100 to $200 for longer international flights, adjusted based on flight length, service quality, and your satisfaction level.
Present gratuities discreetly at flight conclusion, typically to the cabin attendant who can share with other crew members. A simple “thank you for excellent service” accompanied by the gratuity acknowledges their professionalism without awkward elaboration. Never present tips as though you are paying for services that should have been included; rather, position them as appreciation for service that exceeded baseline expectations.
FBO Staff
FBO staff who assist with luggage, arrange ground transportation, or provide other services also appreciate gratuities. $20 to $50 depending on service level is appropriate. Again, present these discreetly and with thanks rather than making production of your generosity.
When Gratuities May Be Inappropriate
Some charter operators include gratuities in their pricing or have policies discouraging direct tipping in favor of feedback through proper channels. If uncertain, you can ask your charter broker about operator policies. Alternatively, following up with positive feedback to the operator about specific crew members provides value that crew appreciate even if direct tipping is not customary for that operator.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Several behaviors consistently mark clients as inexperienced or thoughtless regardless of their resources or flight frequency.
Excessive Photography
Photographing the aircraft exterior, posting about your private flight on social media, or generally treating the experience as photo opportunity rather than transportation marks you as either new to private aviation or desperately insecure about your status. The experienced client boards, flies, and deplanes without documenting the experience for external validation.
This particularly applies when traveling with companions. Avoid pressuring your companion to pose for photos with the aircraft or otherwise participate in status documentation. If she wishes to take a photo, that is her choice, but making the flight about creating images for social proof diminishes the experience for everyone.
Name Dropping and Status Anxiety
Referencing other aircraft you have flown, comparing current flight to previous experiences in ways that position you as expert, or generally attempting to impress crew with your aviation knowledge or status creates the opposite effect. Crew have served countless passengers with far more aviation experience and resources than you possess. Your attempts to establish status make you look insecure rather than impressive.
Similarly, avoid the temptation to criticize the current aircraft by comparison to larger or newer models you have flown. The crew already knows the aircraft’s specifications and limitations. Your commentary serves no purpose beyond making you appear difficult and ungracious.
Treating Crew as Audience
The crew is not interested in your business success, investment acumen, or social connections. Dominating conversation with them when they are trying to perform their duties, treating them as captive audience for your storytelling, or generally failing to read their signals that they need to focus on their work rather than entertaining you demonstrates poor social intelligence.
Brief, pleasant exchanges are certainly appropriate. Extended monologues about your accomplishments while crew nod politely and look for escape opportunities are not. The experienced client can distinguish between genuine conversation and one-sided performance.
Aircraft Type Knowledge
While you need not become aviation expert, basic familiarity with common aircraft types and their capabilities helps you make informed charter decisions and communicate effectively with operators.
Light Jets
Aircraft like the Citation CJ series, Phenom 300, or Learjet 75 typically accommodate 6 to 8 passengers and work well for trips under 1,500 miles. They access smaller airports with shorter runways but offer limited luggage capacity and no standing cabin room. Appropriate for short regional trips with small groups.
Midsize Jets
The Citation Sovereign, Hawker 900XP, or Gulfstream G150 category accommodates 7 to 9 passengers with standing cabin, enclosed lavatory, and range of approximately 2,000 to 3,000 miles. These aircraft balance comfort and operating cost effectively for many business and leisure trips.
Super Midsize and Large Cabin Jets
Aircraft like the Citation X, Challenger 350, or Gulfstream G280 offer substantially more space, range exceeding 3,500 miles, and amenities approaching heavy jets at lower operating costs. The Gulfstream G550, G650, and Global series represent the pinnacle of private aviation with intercontinental range, full standing cabins, and maximum comfort.
Understanding these categories helps you specify appropriate aircraft for your needs rather than over-chartering (paying for capabilities you do not need) or under-chartering (selecting aircraft inadequate for your actual requirements).
The Mynt Models Perspective
Many of our clients travel via private aviation and occasionally bring companions on business trips or leisure travel. Our companions who regularly travel privately understand the protocols thoroughly, arriving appropriately dressed, interacting professionally with crew, and conducting themselves in ways that reflect well on our clients.
When arranging companion travel involving private aviation, we encourage clients to mention this during booking so we can ensure proper briefing on any specific preferences or protocols. While our companions are experienced, each client has particular expectations and each trip involves unique dynamics. Clear communication prevents misunderstandings and ensures seamless experience.
We also brief our companions on appropriate behavior if they are unfamiliar with private aviation or if particular trip involves international travel with customs considerations. This behind-the-scenes preparation allows our clients to focus on their travel rather than managing companion logistics or correcting behavioral issues.
For clients new to private aviation who may be uncertain about protocols when traveling with companions, our concierge team can provide guidance on everything from documentation requirements to appropriate gratuities. We have facilitated hundreds of companion arrangements involving private aviation and understand the specific considerations these trips entail.
The Mark of Experience
Private aviation etiquette ultimately serves the same function as all sophisticated social protocols: it allows people to interact smoothly, signals your experience and consideration for others, and creates environment where everyone involved can perform their roles effectively. Mastering these protocols transforms you from client who can afford to charter into client whom operators and crew genuinely enjoy serving.
The principles are straightforward: communicate clearly during booking, arrive appropriately prepared, treat crew with professional courtesy, comply with safety requirements, tip reasonably for excellent service, and avoid the status anxiety behaviors that mark you as nouveau. These practices become second nature with experience but can be learned proactively through attention to how seasoned charter clients conduct themselves.
For clients who travel with companions via private aviation, additional considerations around proper introduction, behavior expectations, and documentation requirements apply. The experienced client manages these elements smoothly, ensuring their companion enhances rather than complicates the travel experience.
At Mynt Models, we support clients navigating these protocols by ensuring our companions understand private aviation etiquette and arrive prepared for the unique environment these trips create. This behind-the-scenes preparation allows our clients to focus on their travel rather than managing companion logistics.
Because true sophistication is measured not by the aircraft you charter but by how gracefully you conduct yourself within it.