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Timing |
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How far in advance do I need to make a booking for a flight? |
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When do I need to arrive for my flight? |
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Is there a charge to remain on the ground for several hours? |
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I need to stay overnight - can I have the aircraft wait for me? |
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Flight Particulars |
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My flight is tomorrow - is it too late to add on an extra stop? |
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For my original booking I indicated there were only 2 passengers;
now I'd like to add on a few more - will that cost extra? |
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Is it possible to arrange catering for the flight? |
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The weather forecast indicates bad weather - will the flight be
cancelled? |
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Baggage Restrictions |
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There's lots of room for my bags, why are you telling me that the amount I can take
is limited? |
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I would like to travel with my dog - will this be possible? |
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Are there any items I can't take with me in my luggage? |
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Is Maritime Air Charter certified to carry dangerous goods? |
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How far in advance do I need to make a booking for a flight? |
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All bookings are made on a first come-first serve basis, so depending on our
schedule, you may be able to book a flight for the same day, or you may find that a
specific date next week is already booked up. If you think that you may require a
booking on a certain day, you can let us know and we will notify you if that day is
becoming booked up. |
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When do I need to arrive for my flight? |
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For domestic flights, you need only arrive early enough to be introduced to your
pilots and have your luggage loaded - 10 minutes is usually adequate. This is also
true of flights into the United States, so long as all travelers have submitted
copies of their passports on the day prior to travel. If any new passengers arrive to
take the flight, a delay of at least 2 hours must be expected, as passenger passport
information is required to be received and reviewed by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security at least 1 hour prior to boarding the aircraft (refer to the
section on international flights) |
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Is there a charge to remain on the ground for several hours? |
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Wait times up to 4 hours are free; for longer wait times, however,
our pilots will require meals and possibly rest time in a hotel in order to
prevent fatigue and maintain the highest level of safety. A reasonable fee
that covers these costs will be charged. |
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I need to stay overnight - can I have the aircraft wait for me? |
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Our rates (and the airport fees) are based on flights that return on the same day,
however, if our schedule permits it, it may be possible for the aircraft to remain
overnight. There will be a nominal fee to cover the cost of hotels, cabs and meals
for the pilots; there may also be additional fees for the aircraft (parking,
hangarage or de-icing, if required). Multiple overnights are occasionally possible
on longer trips - feel free to talk to our manager for more details. |
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My flight is tomorrow - is it too late to add on an extra stop? |
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Not at all - you can change your itinerary even on the day of the flight, adding in
or removing stops as necessary. Simply call our office or speak to your pilot as
soon as you are aware of any possible changes so the appropriate flight details
such as fuel stops, etc may be taken care of. |
For my original booking I indicated there were only 2 passengers;
now I'd like to add on a few more - will that cost extra? |
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Usually, no - when you book a flight, the entire airplane is yours at a fixed rate
(a few airports do charge per person fees, but these are generally only in the
$10-15 range). We do require sufficient notice of the number of passengers so that
the fuel load does not exceed the maximum permissible weight for the aircraft. In
rare cases, such as a long distance flight with a heavy passenger load, an extra
fuel stop may be required, which would slightly increase the cost of the
charter. |
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Is it possible to arrange catering for the flight? |
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Certainly, but your rate already includes some basic refreshments such as coffee,
donuts or muffins (or similar), pop, juice, bottled water, and several snack items
(cheese and crackers, raisins, gum, etc). If you would like something specific such
as sandwiches, we will be happy to arrange it for you at cost. |
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The weather forecast indicates bad weather - will the flight be
cancelled? |
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Cancellation of charter flights is a rare occurrence - our aircraft and pilots are
capable of handling most weather conditions safely. While snow and wind
generally do not affect the flight, extreme conditions such as freezing rain may
delay departure. Your pilot will not take-off in unsafe conditions, so you do not
need to worry in that regard. Also, while large airports such as Halifax have
good instrument approaches, some smaller airports have limited approach facilities
and may require reasonable weather in order to allow a landing. For that reason,
it is a good idea when you make your booking to
leave a contact number where you can be reached just prior to the flight, so if a
weather delay is necessary we can discuss it with you. If you have any
concerns about weather, we will be more than happy to address them. |
There's lots of room for my bags, why are you telling me that the amount
I can take is limited? |
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Every aircraft has a maximum weight limit set by the manufacturer, this includes
not only the total weight of all passengers and crew, but baggage and fuel as well.
This limit cannot be exceeded without compromising safety and breaking the law.
Also, the distribution of weight is critical, so your pilot may occasionally ask
you to sit in a certain seat location for the flight. |
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I would like to travel with my dog - will this be possible? |
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Yes, you can take your dog(s) or cat(s) along with you so long as they are in pet
carriers. The advantage that our aircraft have in this regard is that your pets
will be within sight and easy reach during the flight. |
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Are there any items I can't take with me in my luggage? |
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Items that are classified as dangerous goods are restricted from being carried in
passenger baggage. These include, but are not limited to, flammable and corrosive
liquids, compressed gases, explosive items such as fireworks, etc. Certain
personal care items such as aerosol products are exempted in small quantities (i.e.
2 cans of 500 ml or smaller). If you have any questions regarding what items are
allowed to be carried on board the aircraft, please contact our office. Hiding
dangerous goods in luggage is not only unsafe, but is against the law. |
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Is Maritime Air Charter certified to carry dangerous goods? |
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Yes, we are certified to transport Classes 1 - 5, 8, and 9 dangerous goods under
the Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, however, you must provide
the appropriate documentation (i.e. Shipper's Declaration), and the goods must
be packaged in accordance with the TDGR. We are allowed certain exemptions under
the Destinations with Limited Access (e.g. Sable Island), Consumer Commodities
and Medical Aid regulations - feel free to talk to us about what goods fall
under the jurisdiction of these regulations. |
