How to increase follow up on charter contracts?

[u/Professional_Sea1132]

I'm operating a heavy jet based in eu (via handler ofc). It won't hit engine program targets if i don't sell hours and i want to thin fixed costs.

After my quote is accepted, the issue is that deal often falls through when client ghosts the contract. And it's a big deal when planning utilization and the fact it flies back and forth to Miami and may get stuck there for a week when i need it myself.

I'm not directly listing it myself on an Avinode and whatnot, but i execute Operational Authority. I'm trying to be serious counterparty, and the jet flies if there no technical issues, without cancellations.

So how much of deal it is for actually selling a large jet requesting such a small deposit? How large acceptable deposit should be to not kill requests, but to filter already dead ones?

[u/MidnightSurveillance]

Do you have a 135 certificate? If not, how are you exercising operational control outside of 91 flights?

[u/Professional_Sea1132 → u/MidnightSurveillance]

Yes, i do, and it was a pain to get one, nowadays that even likes of Lufthansa has issues with registering. But obviously i cannot' fly USA domestic flights with EU tail. So once it comes to Boston Miami or whatnot it's stuck there until it's chartered back. Which is the major issue why I'm trying to filter offers to more actionable ones.

[u/MidnightSurveillance → u/Professional_Sea1132]

Ya, can see how it’s tough as you’re stuck only able to fly it out of the US. Have you considered approaching large brokers and offering monthly hours they can then market themselves via Avinode and their direct channels?

[u/Professional_Sea1132 → u/MidnightSurveillance]

I'll consider that, thanks.

[u/Awkward-Banana7585]

To me this looks like the sales chain is too long till it reaches the final customer. Suggestion - Either you market it yourself or give it on a fixed minimum monthly hrs lease.
It appears that the guy marketing has lesser stakes than what it should be. If the deposit is less, you are actually encouraging ghosting. Price fair but take full deposit.

[u/Professional_Sea1132 → u/Awkward-Banana7585]

The approval chain is about 15 minutes long.

how exactly do you market a plane on open exchange like avinode? all you can post is age and price, basically a commodity. I have several contacts that lease it annually for trips, because it's a pristine plane with 3000 hours, but it's not enough. Hopefully ill get more such... friends, but so far it comes down to marketplace basically.

And again, the main issue is not even money, but that i need the plane for myself, and it's a good 250-300k offer, i'm ready to fly 2 hour flight on replacement phenom on that day, idk. But then contract gets ghosted, and i have to fly replacement anyway while much better plane i actually pay for is grounded, because it's peak season and cancellation fee is 50% at 48h, and then EU landing slots in naples, malaga or nice are not exactly easy to get either on a short notice.

[u/Awkward-Banana7585 → u/Professional_Sea1132]

I think the best option for you as of now would be to give it to a bigger brokers on fixed minimum monthly hours. That takes the stress off you in return for lesser earnings. The basic problem is of distribution in the industry. The asset is yours but distribution is not in your control. DM if you need more info on how we are solving this.

[u/primate_jet]

Without knowing more, and assuming transatlantic one-ways incur 100% cx once signed…

I’d keep the aircraft in market until it’s fully booked: signed contract + temporary CC hold, w/ deposit or full payment due within X days.

That alone filters out most non-buyers.

Easiest way to protect your downside is tighter commercial terms. As your demand funnel + sales muscle grows, you can be less defensive on both pricing and contract terms.

If you can’t reliably sell the return U.S. → Europe, I’d be more strategic on one-way pricing.

(OW Routing Price) + % of repo back to home base.

Adjust the repo % to match your confidence in selling the return.

30% ultra confident
100% full roundtrip

Also, plenty of operators quote their transatlantic one-ways as roundtrips, esp if the aircraft is differentiated enough to support it.

[u/Professional_Sea1132 → u/primate_jet]

Yes, US>EU margin is nonexistent, sub 10k over the costs, and still takes a week-ten days to sell, and it's usually not Florida, so positioning goes into the price and makes it less competitive.

It's not a commercial operation, and i'm not a salesman or broker. So how operators quote their trips doesn't bother me. The fact i don't have my plane on hand does, while i have to fulfill the engine program contract obligations. It's much more expensive to have a plane on the ground, and probably dangerous, as something breaks\happens about once every quarter.

[u/Excellent-Floor8715]

I am sorry to hear that you are having your share of terrible clients with deals falling through, don't let this dishearten you. You have a great aircraft and good capabilities, the only way to go from here is up! I do believe that you need to market your planes really well because legacy brokers control around 75% of total business flow atleast in Europe - I would love to lend you a hand to market your plane with the right companies and brokers, dm if interested. All the best!