What does a private jet broker do?

An operator holds the Air Operator Certificate (AOC), owns or manages the aircraft, employs the crew and holds operational control of the flight. In the UK, that certificate is issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

A broker such as Altivo Jets does not own or fly aircraft. We take your trip, ask licensed operators which suitable aircraft they have available, compare the prices and put the best options in front of you. Once you choose, we manage the booking with the operator until you land.

Unlike the operator, a UK charter broker needs no licence of its own. The Air Charter Association has described brokerage as a largely unregulated part of the industry, with no licence, formal qualification or training needed to start trading. That is why the operator matters so much.

Two rules protect you whoever sells the flight. First, the CAA says that by law you must be told the name of the operator, which may be a different company from the one selling the flight. Second, the operator must hold the correct certificate, insurance and licences for commercial flights. You can check any UK operator on the CAA's list of AOC holders.

ATOL is the CAA's financial protection scheme for flights and holidays. Most whole-aircraft charters sit outside it: the CAA lists a whole plane exemption, and the Air Charter Association explains that it covers anyone selling the entire capacity of an aircraft. A charter on its own is therefore normally not ATOL protected.

ATOL can matter in two cases: when a flight is sold as a package with accommodation, and when single seats are sold to consumers by a company that is not the airline. If either applies to your trip, ask the seller whether you are ATOL protected.

• Licensed operators only: every UK flight we arrange is flown by a CAA AOC holder, or a properly licensed foreign operator, that we have checked on the regulator's list.
• Operator named: the operator's company name appears on your quote and in your charter agreement.
• Insurance checked: before you sign, we ask the operator for the aircraft's insurance certificate.
• Safety audits shown: where an operator holds an ARGUS or WYVERN rating, we show it.
• All-in price: flight time, positioning, airport charges, Air Passenger Duty and VAT where it applies, itemised before you commit.

Read our broker disclosure, how we choose our operators, and our guide Is my flight legal?.

A single operator can only offer its own fleet. A broker can compare many operators and often finds an aircraft already positioned near you, or an empty leg on your route, which can lower the total even after the broker's margin. You also get one point of contact for every trip, whichever operator flies it. Browse the UK charter operators we work with.