Charter Chatter: lingo and key terms

Rigid commercial airline scheduling is just one of the reasons planners have gone the charter route. Dawn Levesque, a meeting planner at Moline, Ill.-based John Deere & Company, often relies on charters for moving a lot of people from point A to point B - particularly when those points are in destinations with little or no commercially scheduled flights. Among the other benefits of charter flights is that the group can stay together for the duration of the program or meeting, with no need for staggered arrivals and departures; there's no ticketing process; in-flight catering can be upgraded (at additional cost), and aircraft cabins can be customized with banners and other decorations welcoming the group.

When chartering aircraft, it's helpful to be familiar with some of the lingo. Among the key terms:

Single entity: One sponsor is paying for the charter - passengers are not contributing to the cost. Incentive groups and sports teams are prime examples of single-entity charters.

Pro rate: An affinity group such as an alumni organization charters the plane, and the cost is divided among the individuals.

Public: Open to the public - individuals pay for their seats.

Direct load: Loading passengers onto aircraft without going through the airport terminal. This is restricted to single-entity charters and subject to approval of the airport.

Fixed-base operator (FBO): A facility separate from the main terminal, primarily used for charter aircraft with fewer than 30 seats.

Part 121: FAA regulations governing operation of aircraft with passenger-seating configuration of more than 30 seats.

Part 135: FAA regulations governing operation of aircraft with maximum passenger configuration of 30 seats.

Pitch: Distance from any point on an airline seat to the corresponding point on the seat in front or behind it, measured in inches as a gauge of comfort for passengers.

Slot: Authorization granted by an airport or air traffic controller for an aircraft to land or take off at a specific time.