Executive Insights from Rick Colson | November 2026
By Rick Colson
Founder & CEO, New Flight Charters | Private Pilot | Aircraft Owner | Serving private aviation clients since 2004
A meeting runs over. A family decides to stay another night. Two more passengers want to join the return flight. These are reasonable requests, and the ability to arrange travel around the client is a major reason people charter.
The useful question is what the requested change requires. Moving a departure may be straightforward. It may also affect the aircraft’s next trip, the crew’s available duty time or the arrangements at the airport. Before treating the revised itinerary as settled, have your charter professional confirm it with the operator.
In October’s Executive Insight, we looked at choosing between charter proposals. This month, the focus is the next decision: how to keep the trip working when the original plan changes.
A confirmed departure time is part of an operating plan
A charter booking reserves an agreed service. The scope of that service matters. Does the itinerary call for a same-day return with the aircraft staying nearby, or separate flights several days apart? Has flexibility been arranged, or is the aircraft scheduled around specific departure times?
Consider a hypothetical business trip with a return scheduled for late afternoon. The meeting runs two hours longer than expected. If the aircraft and crew can accommodate the revised departure, the change may be manageable. If another flight follows, waiting may make that next commitment impossible. The operator needs to evaluate the actual schedule.
Give your broker the likely timing issue as soon as it becomes apparent. There is more opportunity to work through alternatives before the original departure time passes.
Tell us which part of the new plan matters most
A useful change request includes the desired departure, the latest acceptable arrival and any flexibility around airports. Explain why the change matters. An additional hour at a meeting and an essential overnight stay call for different solutions.
That gives the broker something practical to work with. The original aircraft may work at a different time. Another suitable aircraft may fit the revised schedule. An alternative airport may help, provided the added ground journey still serves the client.
The recommendation should explain which option achieves the revised objective and what accepting it would involve. A client should be able to make that decision with a clear understanding of the result.
A different return date can require a different aircraft arrangement
Extending a stay by one day sounds simple from the passenger’s perspective. For the operator, it can change where the aircraft and crew need to be and whether they remain available for the return.
As a hypothetical example, a family books a Friday departure and Sunday return, then asks to come home Monday. The aircraft may already have a Monday assignment elsewhere. The broker needs to establish whether the original operator can revise the arrangement or whether another option is needed.
Before agreeing, ask for the revised total and an explanation of what happens to the original booking. Moving the trip may affect the existing financial commitment as well as the price of the new arrangement. The applicable agreement determines those details.
Extra passengers and baggage deserve a fresh check
An unused seat does not answer every question about adding a passenger. The operator needs the revised passenger information and must confirm that the aircraft remains suitable for the load and itinerary.
Suppose two relatives join a family’s return trip and bring several additional bags. Even when the seat count works, the baggage arrangement needs checking. A change involving ski equipment, golf clubs or a pet also belongs in that conversation.
Provide the full revised requirements together. Discovering an additional requirement after a change has been accepted can mean evaluating the plan again. For international travel, allow for the operator to confirm documentation and passenger reporting requirements as well.
Confirm the cost before accepting the change
A request to change the itinerary and an accepted amendment are different stages. Ask what can be accommodated, what the revised price covers and which original commitments still apply.
There is no useful universal cancellation percentage or change fee to quote here. The answer depends on the agreement for the specific booking. Review the terms that apply to your flight, including any special conditions attached to the dates or aircraft arrangement.
Ask for the revised itinerary and financial terms in writing. Check the departure date and local time, airports, passenger details and the agreed aircraft arrangement. Ground transportation and catering should follow the confirmed revision too.
When the operator needs to change the aircraft
A client-requested amendment is a different situation from the operator being unable to provide the planned aircraft. If a substitution is proposed, it deserves its own evaluation.
Does the replacement accommodate the passengers and baggage? Can it perform the revised trip as proposed? Is the operating carrier identified? What changes in timing, service or price require the client’s agreement?
A replacement being described as an upgrade does not settle whether it is the optimal fit. The relevant question is how well it serves this trip. Ask for the differences to be explained, along with the options available under the booking terms. Recovery availability and costs need confirmation; they should never be assumed.
Good service continues after the booking
The broker’s work continues when a client’s circumstances change. It includes communicating with the operator, evaluating alternatives and explaining the consequences clearly enough for the client to choose.
That follows the same client-first approach discussed in the earlier articles. A recommendation should serve the client’s desired outcome. When the original aircraft can accommodate a sensible revision, make that clear. When it cannot, explain the practical alternatives promptly.
For private fliers, the best preparation is straightforward: identify likely uncertainty before booking, understand the flexibility being arranged and communicate changes early. Then get the revised plan confirmed. That gives everyone a clear itinerary to deliver.
About Rick Colson
Rick Colson is the Founder and CEO of New Flight Charters, a private pilot and aircraft owner. His Executive Insights Series explains the operational decisions behind private jet charter, with an emphasis on informed choices and long-term client relationships.
Read more about aircraft availability and comparing charter quotes, or contact New Flight Charters to discuss your itinerary and any flexibility you may need.
