Tuesday 18 January 2011

Advantages Of An Air Charter For Business and Leisure

On the face of it, air charter seems to be a luxury that high-flying corporate executives get as perks of the job. But look at it a little deeper, and turns out it's actually a money-saver. The thing is that a top level executive's time is very valuable, and each minute spent in an airport lounge is a lost minute for the company.

With each day and month, the situation at the airports is getting worse. Flight delays, airport security, missed connections and the exhausting experience of boarding a commercial flight all combine to wring the enthusiasm out of business travelers. An executive who turns up at an important meeting after such an experience can hardly be expected to be very effective.

The point here is that all that time spent is company time being wasted. So it's safe to assume that it's profitable for a company to allow the cream of its top level executives to hop around in private jets. But this doesn't mean the company has to shell out big dollars to buy planes.

One of the more popular arrangements is called a fractional ownership system, where a person or company is one of many owners of the plane (usually between 2 to 8). The whole thing is managed by a fractional ownership company, which will have many planes of the same make and model. So when a company wants to use a plane, it just has to pay for the flight costs, including the fuel.

Other than the cost-savings of shared ownership, there are many more benefits. For example, passengers on commercial carriers can only fly to and from a limited number of big airports. An air charter, however, can fly to thousands of big and small airports, many of which are private.

This further reduces local transportation needs, and the time spent traveling. Plus, there are no delays for boarding or exiting. It is possible to drive right up to the plane and have the baggage loaded up right then and there. Pets, if any, can travel in the cabin.

Executives can travel in absolute comfort and get some good sleep. Or they can put in a few hours' work with a laptop, wi-fi internet, videoconferencing, satellite phones and other tools. Some commercial carriers do offer some of these tools, but they cannot be used on account of a lack of privacy.

For personal use, it's hard to justify air charter as a cost-saver, but there are situations where it can be a life-saver instead. Medical travel, for instance, is one such area where the patient might not want to ensure the agony of commercial flights. Elderly people and tourists unsure of being able to catch connecting flights may want to make their holiday experience more memorable and safe by taking a private jet instead.

It's important to note here that prices for an air charter are not that high anymore, and it's a lot closer to what's considered acceptable spending while on vacation, similar to staying in a luxury hotel. Before booking a commercial flight ticket, just find out how much it would just for the same trip on a private jet. Most people are likely to end up surprised at how much cheaper it is than they thought it would be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adriana_N.

Monday 10 January 2011

Tourist Tips

If you're planning an overseas trip, there's more than just the weather and weather-appropriate clothing that you have to prepare. You have to get yourself and your mindset ready. Yes, it can be a totally new experience being in a different land where people will have with different customs and ideals. You may find them entertaining or disgusting depending on your own set of customs and ideals, but in any case, you will have to try to get along with them for as long as you're staying in their country.

You'll always want to take care of yourself in a place where you don't know many things and people. So to keep yourself safe, know what you need to know and act accordingly. For starters, you must be aware of the most basic aspects of the country's culture and this you can do by researching about it on the Internet. A basic example would be Indians treating cows as sacred. This means don't ever ask the waiter if they have beef on their menu.

Another important thing you'd like to know about a country you're visiting is its crime situation. As a basic precaution, avoid wearing items that are going to attract the attention of criminals such as flashy clothing or heavy jewelry. And leave the cash in your bank and just carry a safe amount while making use of your credit card for big purchases. Each time a stranger approaches you, assume immediately that the person will be a threat. This means not giving them any information about yourself or your itinerary and politely making your exit the soonest.

Even in a foreign land, it's nice to have fun at bars while you socialize and have some drinks. But do limit your drinking because you'll never know what will happen to you, especially when you're in a country where people speak a language you don't understand. Having a travel companion won't help much either because, chances are, he won't understand that language, either. This can be a recipe for disaster, so to avoid being in it, avoid too much alcohol and go straight to your hotel room after you've had a few rounds.

Lastly, be aware of the laws of the country you're visiting. There's nothing more embarrassing than Figuring in a legal skirmish and you don't even know what you've done. The worst picture would be deportation, and while you've always planned on returning back home, you don't want to waste that opportunity to get away from work and reward yourself. You probably won't get a leave-of-absence anytime within the same year, so you'll always want to take advantage of the time you have.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Pierce