Empty Legs & Aircraft Charter - Sunwest Aviation
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Empty Leg Charters

Empty Legs & Aircraft Charter

If you are new to the world of aircraft charter, and even if you’re not, you may be unfamiliar with the term “empty legs.”

Simply put, an empty leg occurs when an aircraft flies without passengers, or empty.

Empty legs are also an opportunity to charter an aircraft for exceptional value.

Why would an aircraft fly without passengers?

The two most common scenarios for an empty leg are:

  • Positioning to a different location to pickup passengers for their next trip
  • Returning to base after dropping passengers off

Anytime that an aircraft needs to position or return to base, an empty leg opportunity becomes available and can be chartered for a significant discount. The discount accounts for the typical constraints associated with an empty leg:

  • Empty legs are based on the primary charter schedule, which may restrict the departure date and time.
  • The empty leg route is determined by the original charter.
  • The empty leg is subject to changes or cancellation based upon the original charter.

Who is an empty leg a great option for?

If you have a flexible schedule and/or the empty legs are travelling near your preferred destination, empty legs are an excellent opportunity to charter for a fraction of the cost. If you require a guaranteed flight and need to control your flight schedule, empty legs may not always work for you.

Where do your empty legs typically fly?

Common empty leg routes for Sunwest Aviation charters include flights between Calgary or Edmonton and:

  • Kelowna, Vancouver, and Victoria
  • Palm Springs, Scottsdale, and Phoenix
  • Kalispell and Great Falls
  • Montreal and Toronto.

The departure and arrival locations can also be modified and are negotiable. For example, if you are interested in flying to Comox rather than Victoria, the empty leg can be adjusted to meet your needs.

How can I view available flights?

Contact us to charter an empty leg or to learn more about empty legs, aircraft charter, and the Sunwest Charter Membership.

Telephone: +1 (403) 275-8121
Toll Free: 1-888-291-4566
Email: info@sunwestaviation.ca

Glossary

Aircraft Charter
Aircraft charter, also known as air taxi, is the business of renting (chartering) an entire aircraft. Rather than purchasing individual seats on a scheduled and shared flight, charter clients have access to the entire aircraft and determine the schedule along with the departure and destination airports. This is commonly referred to as Business Aviation, or Private Aviation.

Charter Membership – Jet Cards
Charter Memberships or Jet Cards, are services that provide holders access to different aircraft (private jets, turboprops) at predetermined rates or a fixed number of hours in exchange for a deposit or membership fee.

Empty Legs
Empty legs (also known as open legs) are flights on charter aircraft that are scheduled to fly without any passengers. They operate when an aircraft needs to position for another flight or return to home base.

Positioning
Aircraft positioning occurs when an private jet or turboprop has been scheduled for a charter flight and is away from the departure airport. The aircraft positions to the departure airport in order to complete the schedule.

Sunwest Aviation Ltd. Western Canada’s largest and most diverse business aviation provider.

Sunwest Aviation is a Transport Canada, Argus Platinum, and IS-BAO Stage III certified aircraft operator. Sunwest is also the Shell AeroCentre branded FBO at the Calgary International Airport. Calgary’s premier business aviation provider.