Corporate F/A Dispatch

Are you tired of long lines, crowded airports, and late flights? If you hire a charter or private jet, you can travel to your destination in style and comfort. Here are some tips for chartering a jet for your next vacation.

The first step in hiring a private jet is to choose where you want to travel to – your destination will ultimately determine which charter jet services are available to you. This is the fun part – you get to decide which dream vacation will be yours!

Next, you’ll need to pick your travel dates. In some cases, you may be limited by the time you can get away from work, but if you’re flexible on when you can travel, you may find a considerable difference in the pricing. It’s also often cheaper to fly during the week than on the weekend – the cheapest days to fly are usually Tuesday and Wednesday.

With your date and location in mind, it’s time to find a reputable charter jet service. Begin by asking your friends, family members, and co workers for any recommendations. You can also request information from any charter services that offer service to your chosen destination. Many organizations, such as AAA, can offer advice on which charter jet service may be best for you. Finally, you can also search online to find out which services have the highest customer service ratings.

Don’t forget to shop around. Before you sign on the dotted line, contact several services to see which one can offer you best deal. Many times, a charter service will match or beat another service’s best fares. Also contact a travel agency to see what kind of rates they are able to secure on your behalf.

As you’re researching potential charter companies, be sure to ask what types of aircraft are available from each service. You can usually find a listing of the jets in the company’s fleet online. Many jets are perfect for short trips, while other are best for long distances.

You should also ask questions about what measures the company takes to ensure your safety. Ask about the staff onboard and their qualifications, as well as the company’s record of maintenance and safety violations. The company representative should be able to answer your questions, or quickly find someone who can.

If you’re still concerned about the cost of charter jets, consider an empty leg flight. If you can book a seat on a charter service that’s returning empty from one of its destinations, this can add up to substantial saving for you. Although it is only a one-way trip, you might save between 25-50%, since the company would rather see a body in the seat than to leave it empty.

Finally, be sure to purchase travel insurance to ensure you’ll receive a refund of your fare if the flight is cancelled for any reason, or if you are unable to travel. Charter flights can be a little more unpredictable than commercial airlines, and they may be unable to fly in weather conditions that don’t affect traditional flights. Given the cost of a charter jet flight, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

If you’ve been offered a job as a corporate flight attendant, you’ll likely be required to take and pass a drug screening before you’re able to begin working. Pre-employment drug screenings are commonly used by employers to reduce employee turnover, health insurance claims and theft on the job site. The following is some information on what you can expect if the company that’s offered you a job requires a pre-employment drug screening:

The most commonly used type of pre-employment drug screening is the urine test, primarily because it’s the easiest and most inexpensive form of testing on the market. Since most cities have at least one testing facility, companies can get results in as little as 24-48 hours. In the past, these tests have been considered somewhat unreliable, as several masking agents exist on the market to camouflage any illicit substances in the urine. However, urine testing technology has improved in recent years so that many of these agents can now be detected.

If you’re asked to take this type of test, you’ll need to make a quick visit to one of these facilities where you’ll be asked to sign a release form and urinate into the provided container. Unfortunately, as the potential for falsification exists, you may be required to leave the bathroom door partially open as you provide your sample. However, most testing facilities do make an effort to make the process as comfortable as possible.

Alternatively, the facility you’re working for may require you to complete hair follicle drug screening. In these tests, a small sample of hair is taken from somewhere on the body and subjected to chemical agents that detect the presence of illegal substances. Although these tests are much less invasive for potential employees, they are much more expensive for employers to conduct. However, many employers are willing to put up the extra money, as the tests are much more accurate and can detect drug use as far back as six months ago.

Additional pre-employment drug tests also exist for saliva and sweat samples, although these are used much less frequently. A word of caution, though. If you’re thinking about trying to cheat the system, whether by purchasing “clean” urine from a friend or by shaving your head prior to your screening date, think again. Hair follicles can be extracted from the skin, even if there’s no hair remaining, and increased sensitivity in urine testing makes it much harder to mask the presence of illegal drugs in your system. If you’re afraid you won’t pass a pre-employment drug screening, it may be easier just to seek out alternate employment.

However, it’s also important to understand that sometimes drug tests give false positives and that mistakes do occur in drug testing labs. If you’re notified that you’ve failed a pre-employment drug screening but have never used any illegal substances, most companies and drug testing agencies will give you the chance to appeal and undergo retesting. Be sure to let your potential employer know that you feel the results are in error and that you’re appealing the process to clear your name.

Although it is possible to get a job as a corporate flight attendant based solely on your experience, you’ll likely find that you can command a higher salary or a better position with formal training. The FACTS Corporate Flight Attendant Training program is currently one of only three FAA-approved programs in the country that will teach you the finer points of flight safety and cabin service.

The FACTS program offers two separate training programs: safety and service. The safety program includes both a five-day introductory course and a two-day refresher course, with an optional final day that consists of additional training. In this course, you’ll cover such topics as inflight medical emergencies and defibrillation, inflight fire and smoke procedures, high altitude physiology/decompression, and hazardous materials awareness.

Learning these cabin safety procedures is especially important if you plan to work as a corporate flight attendant, as you may be the only attendant onboard a business flight and it may fall to you to take charge in the event of an emergency. Although FAA regulations don’t require flights with fewer than 20 seats to have a flight attendant trained in safety protocols onboard, having this training may help you feel more confident in any situation that can arise.

Currently, this course is being taught in the following cities: Fort Lauderdale, FL; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Van Nuys, CA; Olympia, WA; Teterboro, NJ; and San Francisco, CA. During the course, you’ll take part in both classroom activities and lessons onboard a flight simulator. Upon completion of the course, you’ll receive a certificate that demonstrates you’ve passed the training that’s good for one year. For more information on rates and on the specific dates the course will be offered, visit corporateflightattendants.com.

The other training program offered by the FACTS Corporate Flight Attendant Training program focuses more the service you’ll be expected to provide in this position. Unlike commercial flights, in which passengers must be content with whatever microwave meal options are available, served in the most expedient manner possible, business flyers expect more. You’ll be expected to demonstrate impeccable host/hostess skills including everything from meal service to the service of fine wines and caviar.

FACTS offers this service training program in two different formats – a one-day refresher course for flight attendants with some business experience and a more extensive two-day course designed for new employees in the field. According to the FACTS website, the one-day course covers, “Menu planning, storage, plating, proper etiquette and protocols for both new and seasoned flight attendants.” In this course, you’ll cover all the basics necessary to properly serve business travelers and any VIPs onboard your flight.

The two-day course covers all these topics and more. In addition to menu planning and service advice, you’ll also learn about cabin safety – a vital topic for new flight attendants. You’ll also learn more about the duties you’ll be expected to perform upon boarding the flight and before guests arrive. Both of these courses are offered on-site at the same locations as the safety courses at various times throughout the year. For more information on how to schedule your service course, visit the same website: corporateflightattendants.com