Managers: Beware of ‘Doing It In-House’ for International Trips

Many business aviation flight departments handle international trip planning in-house to reduce costs. While such “do it yourself” planning is certainly possible, operators must be diligent in researching the complexities and peripheral details that may risk running afoul of regulatory requirements at their destination.

“In my experience, a common regulatory or compliance error is failing to fully understand or account for the varying and ever-changing international regulations,” said Abdul Charafeddin, executive vice president – Americas, for UAS International Trip Support, “such as overflight permits, customs procedures or specific safety/security requirements of the destination country.”

Jamie Porter, client relationship director at Wise Trip Management, warned that lack of understanding of lead times and failing to secure all required documentation are additional challenges.

“Regulations and requirements often change and what may have been the case for a flight you conducted last month may not necessarily be the same requirement a month later,” Porter said. “In some cases, regulatory obligations may differ based on the country you are operating to or from.”

“The biggest pitfalls lie in understanding the requirements for your passengers and your crew upon landing,” said Darryl Young, director of trip support at AEG Fuels. “Many countries look at crew and passengers differently, and some countries have better resources than others listing those requirements.”

To avoid such potential issues, Charafeddin urged flight departments to establish a detailed checklist, “including all necessary documentation, regulatory requirements and contingency plans, as well as providing regular training to the in-house team.

“However, one of the best ways to mitigate these risks is to partner with a specialist trip support provider,” Charafeddin said. “These companies are experts in navigating the regulatory landscape and can handle the detailed paperwork, ensuring compliance and saving the in-house team valuable time and effort.”

“Not having a full understanding of lead times and proper/formal documentation for regulatory compliance can impede on an international flight,” said Porter. “International service providers have dedicated teams that constantly research and coordinate on the latest regulations to ensure full compliance.

“Having a trusted and dedicated third party provider that can easily identify the regulatory requirements is critical to ensure seamless and compliant international operations,” Porter said.

Young emphasized the benefits of working with a local handler. “I don’t know all the answers,” he said. “I go to the boots on the ground who can research and give me the right answers to these questions.”

View a list of flight support services companies in the NBAA Buyers Guide at nbaa.org/flight-support.