Charter brokers and air carriers are two different regulatory categories under FAA rules, and understanding the distinction is worth five minutes for anyone chartering regularly. A Part 135 certificate holder is an FAA-regulated on-demand air carrier responsible for pilot training, aircraft maintenance, dispatch, and operational control of every flight. A broker like Altair arranges the trip — matching passengers, aircraft, and operator — but does not hold that certificate and never exercises operational control.
This matters most in the moments that matter most: weather diversions, maintenance delays, or a pilot’s go/no-go decision. That authority sits entirely with the certificated operator’s flight department, insulated from any commercial pressure a broker relationship might otherwise create. It’s also why we vet operator partners on independent safety-audit status — ARGUS, Wyvern, IS-BAO — rather than asking you to take a broker’s word for an operator’s safety record.
When you book through Altair, your confirmation names the specific operator and tail number assigned to your flight, and our team confirms that operator’s current audit status before departure — not once, at initial vetting, but for the specific aircraft flying your specific trip.