Private aviation is safe when the operator is genuine, certified and audited. The difficulty for travellers is that the brand on a website is often not the company that flies the aircraft. This guide explains, step by step, how to verify a private jet operator before you sign a charter agreement.
1. Understand who is who: broker, concierge, operator
An **operator** holds the Air Operator Certificate (AOC), employs the crew and is legally responsible for the flight. A **broker** or **concierge** sources aircraft from operators on behalf of the client. Both models are legitimate; what matters is that the operator flying you is identified in writing. At Volaré we act as concierge — we never present ourselves as the carrier.
2. Check the Air Operator Certificate (AOC)
In the European Union, commercial air transport requires an AOC issued by the national authority of the operator's home state — for example ENAC in Italy, DGAC in France, LBA in Germany or the CAA in the United Kingdom (post-Brexit, UK operators are certified by the UK CAA rather than EASA). Ask for the AOC number and the operations specifications, then confirm that the specific aircraft registration appears on them.
What to look for on an AOC
The operator's legal name and address; the AOC number and issuing authority; the validity date; and the list of authorised aircraft types and registrations. If the aircraft registration you are offered is not on the operations specifications, the flight cannot legally be operated under that certificate.
Where to verify
Most national authorities publish lists of certified operators. In France, the DGAC maintains a public register of commercial air transport operators; the UK CAA publishes its AOC holders; ENAC publishes Italian certified operators. Third-country operators flying into the EU also need an EASA Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
3. Look for independent safety audits
The AOC is the legal minimum. Independent audits show how an operator performs above that baseline.
IS-BAO
The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, managed by IBAC, is a code of best practice built around a Safety Management System. Operators progress through Stage 1, 2 and 3; Stage 3 indicates a mature, embedded safety culture. IBAC publishes a registry of IS-BAO registered operators.
ARGUS
ARGUS International rates operators Gold, Gold Plus or Platinum. Platinum requires a comprehensive on-site audit. Historically ARGUS ratings are most common among US Part 135 operators, but many European operators also hold them.
Wyvern
Wyvern offers the Wingman and Wingman PRO standards and an online PASS report that reviews pilots, aircraft and operator history for a specific trip. Ask your provider whether a trip-specific report is available.
4. Verify insurance
Request the operator's certificate of insurance. Within the EU, Regulation (EC) No 785/2004 sets minimum insurance requirements for air carriers covering passengers, baggage, cargo and third parties. Confirm the policy is current and names the operator on the AOC.
5. Confirm the operating carrier on the contract
Sub-chartering — when the original operator subcontracts the flight to another carrier — is common in busy periods such as Monaco Grand Prix week or August in Ibiza. A reputable provider will tell you in writing which operator and which registration will fly, and will inform you before any substitution.
6. Red flags
Prices far below market for the route; refusal to name the operator; aircraft registration not provided until the day of departure; payment requested to a personal account; no written charter agreement. Any one of these is a reason to pause.
A practical checklist
Operator legal name. AOC number and issuing authority. Aircraft registration listed on the operations specifications. Audit status (IS-BAO stage, ARGUS level, Wyvern). Certificate of insurance. Written confirmation of the operating carrier. Crew qualifications on type for complex airports such as Courchevel, Lugano or Samedan.
How Volaré handles verification
Every proposal we send identifies the operator and aircraft. Before we present an option we check the AOC, the operations specifications, the insurance certificate and the independent audit status, and we prefer operators with IS-BAO or ARGUS ratings. For a deeper look at safety standards, read Private Jet Safety Standards; to understand aircraft sizes, see Private Jet Categories Explained.
— Frequently asked
Questions clients ask
- How do I check if a private jet operator is legitimate?
- Ask for the operator's legal name, Air Operator Certificate (AOC) number and aircraft registration, then confirm the AOC with the issuing authority (ENAC, DGAC, LBA, UK CAA or similar) and check that the registration appears on its operations specifications.
- What is the difference between an AOC and IS-BAO?
- The AOC is a mandatory legal certificate allowing an operator to carry paying passengers. IS-BAO is a voluntary international best-practice standard, audited by third parties, that demonstrates a mature safety management system.
- Is ARGUS Platinum better than Gold?
- Yes. ARGUS Platinum is the highest of the three ARGUS operator ratings and requires a comprehensive on-site audit, while Gold is the entry level.
- Does Volaré operate its own aircraft?
- No. Volaré is a Milan-based private aviation and travel concierge. We source aircraft from certified operators and verify each operator's AOC, insurance and audit status before sending a proposal.
