Private Jet Charter & the Embargo on Flights to Qatar

Mar 23, 2018

Very recently a VIP client of ours came to us for an urgent request. He had two very important meetings in a few days and needed a private jet charter to take him from Dubai International Airport to Muscat, Doha and Bahrain all in one day. The VIP had previously acted on his own to find an aircraft for his request and was in contact with a Middle East operator. After multiple conversations the client was ready to confirm this option until he noticed that the operator had quoted this aircraft from Al Maktoum International Airport instead of Dubai International Airport even though the client had stated multiple times that he must depart from Dubai International. This was not suitable at all and even worse there would be an additional $6000 re-positioning fee to the already quoted price.

The client was frustrated and anxious to find a suitable option ASAP. This is where we stepped in. Our VIP contacted us at Icarus Jet and explained his situation. We assured him we would find an aircraft that would meet all his needs and so our Charter and Flight Support team began working immediately. Our Trip Support department knew already that the multiple nation (UAE, Bahrain, KSA, etc.) embargo that was enacted against Qatar would make the logistics of this trip a little tricky. We also knew and explained to the VIP that Muscat International Airport has peak hour times throughout the day in which permits and landing slots are reserved for commercial and Omani airlines and therefore we would be unable to land during those specific hours. The previous operator had not explained this to the VIP and had he booked with them he would have undoubtedly missed his meetings in both Muscat and Doha.

We were happy that the client had come to us, and he was more than relieved when we explained the logistics of the situation which he was previously unaware of. We assured him we would provide a suitable aircraft and schedule to ensure that he would make all his important meetings on time.

Our next step was for our Charter team to contact one of our good colleagues in Dubai who was able to provide us with an aircraft option that was suitable, more cost effective, and audited to the highest industry safety standards. We made sure the aircraft was Kuwaiti registered so that with a political stop in Muscat we would be able to travel to and land in Qatar. Our trip support team then assisted the operator with all permits and slots necessary for each location such that we would avoid muscat peak hour times, ensure the client attended all his meeting on time and make sure the crew stayed within their duty time. In any other case this would be a headache and logistical nightmare for any operator or trip support company. However, our extensive knowledge and experience with these type of charter flights here at Icarus Jet is what allowed for us to provide such an incredibly smooth operation for our VIP client.

We re-positioned the aircraft from Kuwait to Dubai the night prior to the flight. On the day of the flight the schedule operated such that our client flew from Dubai to Muscat, then Muscat to Doha and back to Muscat for a political stop, then arriving at the final destination in Manama, Bahrain. Our VIP assured us that without our diligent assistance his trip would have surely been a failure.

Without the knowledge and expertise we had in understanding the political situation in the region, as well as logistical issues such as crew duty time, peak airport hours and slot/permit obtainment our client would not have been able to get where he needed to be at the exact time he needed to be there. This expertise is a characteristic of Icarus Jet which allows us to provide the most optimal service and private jet charter experience to all of our clients. If there is a solution, we will find it and if not, we will create it so that you can get to where to need to be. We stand by our motto when we say “Icarus Jet will take you everywhere”.

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