Passenger Aircraft Charter and Group Charter

When it is needed

Not a seat,
the entire aircraft

When you use the entire aircraft, the departure time, the route and the baggage arrangement are set by your program, not by a timetable.

Finding seats on a scheduled flight for a team of forty is usually possible. Carrying a team of one hundred and twenty on the same aircraft, at the same time and directly to the destination usually is not. Every additional connection adds risk to the program.

Your requirement may be a single flight, or a regular program running for six months. The two have different contract structures and different pricing logic; in the first conversation we clarify which model fits your need.

Departure time is set by your calendar, not by a timetable
Direct flights can be planned to points with no scheduled service
Capacity for equipment, stage gear and excess baggage is calculated in advance
All participants travel on one aircraft; the group is not split
Cabin layout, catering and ground handling are arranged to suit the program
Recurring programs can run with the same aircraft and the same crew

Capacity

By seat count,
aircraft categories

Seat count alone is not enough. Range, runway length and baggage volume also drive the choice. The figures below reflect typical passenger configurations and vary by operator.

50 – 80 seats

Turboprop aircraft such as the ATR 72. They can land on short runways and are fuel-efficient over short sectors. Suitable for regional routes and small airports.

80 – 110 seats

Bombardier CRJ900 and Embraer E190. Medium-haul at jet speed. A band frequently used for sports squads and event groups.

Common

120 – 190 seats

The Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 737 family. Narrowbody jets. Most congress, tour and faith travel programs are solved in this band.

200 seats and above

Widebody Airbus and Boeing aircraft. For intercontinental group movements and high-capacity seasonal programs.

The right aircraft is not the largest one

A jet that cannot land at a regional airport with a short runway is no solution, even when its seat count is sufficient. The route, the runway and parking capability of the arrival airport, the passenger count and the baggage weight are assessed together. The types shown here are sourced through our operator network; they are not a Gazali Aviation fleet.

Contract model

ACMI, wet lease
and dry lease

These three terms are often used interchangeably. The difference lies in who carries the responsibility — and that difference directly determines the price, the term and the obligations you take on.

Common

ACMI / wet lease

Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance are provided by the operator. The flight is performed under the operator's air operator certificate. Fuel, charges and ground handling normally sit with the lessee. It is the standard solution for short and medium-term needs.

Damp lease

A variant of ACMI. The aircraft, flight deck crew and maintenance come from the operator; the cabin crew comes from the lessee. Preferred by airlines that want to keep their own cabin standard.

Dry lease

Only the aircraft is leased. Crew, maintenance organization, insurance and operating responsibility pass to the lessee. It requires the lessee to hold its own air operator certificate and technical organization; terms are usually measured in years.

Full-service charter

One price and one point of contact for a single flight or a short program. Charges and ground handling are included; the operational burden sits entirely with the operator.

Which one fits you?

Most group charter requests are met with ACMI or full-service charter. Dry lease comes onto the agenda of airlines that hold their own air operator certificate and technical organization, and of institutions building a fleet.

Use cases

The same aircraft,
different programs

What a group charter requires changes from one sector to another. Equipment weight, date flexibility and repeat frequency produce a different aircraft and a different contract in every scenario.

Sports teams

A match calendar rarely fits scheduled flights. Squad size and equipment baggage are calculated together; the return time is flexed to the end of the match.

Production crews

On film, series and commercial shoots the deciding factor is equipment weight. Camera, lighting and set gear are planned against cargo capacity.

Hajj, Umrah and faith travel

Fixed date windows and seasonal peaks. Slots, parking stands and ground handling require early planning.

Workforce rotation

Shift changes on construction sites, mines and field projects. A recurring program is set up on a block-hour contract.

Congresses and events

Bringing participants from different cities to a single point. Several departure points can be combined within the same program.

Tour operator capacity

Fixed capacity for seasonal package programs. Term and frequency are adjusted to demand.

Airline capacity gaps

ACMI to replace an aircraft in maintenance or unexpectedly out of service. The priority is protecting the schedule.

Evacuation and special missions

Moving large groups out of a region at short notice. The permit and coordination process is run together with the operator.

Process

From request to departure
six steps

At every step we tell you in advance what we do and which information has to come from you. There are no surprise steps.

01

Defining the requirement

Passenger count, date range, route, baggage needs and, if any, repeat frequency. Without these, no reliable price can be produced.

02

Operator screening

We search the international operator network for a suitable aircraft and a suitable calendar. Air operator certificate, insurance cover and aircraft age are checked.

03

Comparative quote

More than one option is presented side by side. Where the price difference comes from is explained in writing.

04

Contract

Block hours, minimum guaranteed hours, cancellation tiers and delay clauses are clarified. The contract is concluded between the operator and the customer.

05

Permits and slot coordination

Flight permits, slots, parking stands and ground handling are followed up together with the operator. Missing paperwork is closed out before departure.

06

Flight day

Check-in arrangements, baggage flow and departure time are monitored. Throughout the program we remain your single point of contact.

Pricing

What the price includes,
and what it does not

In passenger aircraft charter, a single figure rarely covers the whole cost.

In ACMI contracts the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance are included in the block-hour rate; fuel and charges are separate items. In full-service charter offers, most items are combined into a single price.

How to read an offer

In every offer we state clearly which items are included and which are not. An item that surfaces after the flight is the sign of a poorly managed process.

Block-hour rate and monthly minimum guaranteed hours
Positioning (ferry) flight — the aircraft's arrival at the departure point and its return
Adjustment clause tied to fuel and price fluctuation
Landing, parking and overflight charges
Ground handling, check-in and baggage operations
Cabin catering and special menu requests
Crew accommodation and allowances (on term-based programs)
Delay, standby and program change conditions

Safety and responsibility

The operator flies the aircraft,
we manage the process

Operator selection comes before price. Nothing is signed without knowing why the cheaper offer is cheaper.

We are not tied to any manufacturer or operator. Our recommendation is shaped by your requirement, not by a commercial affiliation. We do not put the lowest offer forward by default; we set out in writing whether the difference comes from aircraft age, crew experience, insurance limits or positioning cost.

Legal framework

Gazali Aviation is not an aircraft operator and holds no AOC (Air Operator Certificate). Every flight we recommend is performed under the air operator certificate of the relevant operator and under that operator's responsibility. Our role is limited to managing the process and providing consultancy.

The operator's air operator certificate and its validity period are checked
Passenger liability insurance limits are confirmed
Aircraft age, cabin configuration and maintenance status are shared
Cancellation, delay and replacement aircraft clauses are read together before signing

Corporate framework

Who stands
behind you

Group programs are planned months ahead; knowing where your counterpart stands as an institution is part of the job.

2

Offices — Dubai and Istanbul

24/7

Global operations support

ISO

9001:2015 quality management

2

International memberships

ISO 9001:2015 certificate no. QMS-2026/00157-1050, issued by AIQCERT International Certification Services LLC; its scope includes aircraft charter brokerage. We are also an Industry Partner (Associate) of IBAC (International Business Aviation Council) and a member of MEBAA (Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association).

Frequently asked questions

About group charter,
the most common questions

From how many passengers does chartering a passenger aircraft make sense?

Chartering the whole aircraft usually starts to be worth considering for groups of more than 50. The exact threshold depends on the route; on a route with no scheduled service it can suit a group of 30 as well. Send us the passenger count and the route and we will compare both options.

How far in advance should we send our request?

For single flights a few weeks is usually enough. During Hajj, Umrah, the summer season and major events, slots and parking stands fill up months ahead; for those programs we recommend three months or more. For short-notice needs we still search the available options.

How do we choose between ACMI and full-service charter?

For one-off programs or a handful of flights, full-service charter is more practical: one price, one point of contact. For programs that need continuity and have their own sales and schedule structure, ACMI is more flexible and usually more economical.

Who holds the aircraft registration and insurance?

In ACMI and wet lease, registration and operating responsibility remain with the operator and insurance is provided by the operator. In dry lease the country of registration may change; operating, maintenance and insurance obligations pass to the lessee. This structure requires separate legal and technical preparation.

What happens if the flight is cancelled?

Cancellation tiers are defined in the contract by date range. For cancellations caused by the operator, the obligation to provide a replacement aircraft normally sits with the operator. We read these clauses together before signing and put in writing what happens in each case.

Can our own brand appear on the aircraft?

Exterior livery is possible only on long-term contracts and with the operator's approval; it adds time and cost. On short programs, in-cabin visibility such as headrest covers and catering presentation is preferred.

Can you pick up passengers from more than one city?

Yes, multiple departure points can be planned within the same program. Each additional landing brings positioning and charge costs, so gathering participants at a single point is usually more economical. We price and compare both scenarios.

Can we carry equipment and excess baggage?

On passenger aircraft the cargo hold is shared with passenger baggage. If the weight and volume of the equipment are declared in advance, they are taken into account when selecting the aircraft. If only freight is to be carried, cargo aircraft charter is a separate solution.