Chartering a flight for your next business conference or team building event can be an effective way to save money and keep your group together. In most cases, booking a charter flight costs less than buying individual tickets for each of your team employees, and while on the plane, your team can get a jump start on bonding. Before booking your charter flight, here are five ideas you should consider to make the most of your trip:

1. Book Your Event Somewhere Off The Beaten Path

One of the best parts of chartering a plane is that you don't have to fly into one of the country's large airports. Instead of flying into Sydney or Melbourne, charter your flight to somewhere like Yamba or Alice Springs.

By going somewhere off the beaten path, you will avoid the high cost of dining and staying in a metro area. Instead, you can save money by booking your event somewhere less popular and less expensive.

2. Have The Charter Company Handle Transportation Security Program Requirements

As of 2012, the Australian government requires all charter flights as well as many other types of flights to have a Transportation Security Program (TSP). Before hiring a company, make sure that it has a TSP in place. If you opt to have a friend with a private jet fly you and your employees to your destination, that pilot may not need a TSP.

Only work with charter companies that can assure you they have taken care of this requirement, and keep in mind that without one, you may be assessed a $22,000 fine.

3. Charter Your Flight Early

Unfortunately, you cannot charter flights at the very last minute. In most cases, you need a landing permit, and that takes at least five business days to obtain. Ideally, you should plan your charter flight several months in advance. That affords you time to book hotel and conference rooms and write a schedule for your conference or team building event as well as organise any permits.

4. Consider Amenities Carefully

When you start getting quotes from different charter companies, consider the value of any amenities carefully. Different companies offer a range of perks included with the flight price, and in some cases, the same company even offers different levels of service with different perks at each level.

Some of the perks you can expect to find on an economy-class chartered flight include ergonomic seats with head rests, but on a business-class flight, you may find seats that recline fully back. Similarly, some flights may offer no food while others offer three-course meals with starters, gourmet mains, desserts and complimentary wine and beer.

Ultimately, you need to assess the value of any perks to you and your team and decide if they are worth the upcharge on the flight. Conversely, look at the savings and whether or not getting rid of those perks helps your budget or not.

5. Take Advantage Of The Time On The Flight

Along with the list of perks and amenities offered by each flight, you should get a description of that flight's entertainment options. Some planes have built in entertainment systems, and depending on their policies, they may offer use of their entertainment equipment to passengers for free or in exchange for a fee. In other cases, the plane may not have built-in entertainment, but it may have WiFi for passengers so that they can use their laptops or tablets.

Instead of paying any fees or leaving your employees to their own devices, consider taking advantage of the time on the flight and using it for a group activity. Kick off the conference with an inflight game designed to introduce the conference attendees to each other, or have a speaker address the crowd. As you have the flight to yourself, you can use the time however you like.

For more information, contact a company like Broome Air Services.

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