The Challenges of Booking a Private Jet for a Roadshow

This article explores the key nuances of arranging a private jet for a roadshow. We will cover:

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• Crew duty limits – What they are and how they affect the trip.

• Landing rights – What to expect when applying and the challenges in certain locations.

• Potential disruptions – How to plan for mishaps and technical issues with the aircraft.

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By the end of this article, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of how to successfully arrange a private jet for your boss or executive team.

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Road Show ExBook a private jet for a roadshow as a personal assistant | TRIBEample

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Below is an example of a multi-sector roadshow covering the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and India—a typical itinerary for companies raising capital or meeting new clients.

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Between scheduling meetings, booking restaurants, arranging hotels, and coordinating ground transportation, managing a roadshow can be overwhelming. On top of this, securing a private jet for the journey should be as seamless as ordering a taxi—but is it?

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The example below highlights some of the technical aspects you need to consider when booking a private jet for a roadshow.

As you plan the roadshow, here are key factors to consider:

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Crew Duty Limitations – How flight crew working hours impact scheduling.

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Landing Permissions & Slots – Understanding airport approvals and availability.

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Crew Visas – Ensuring proper documentation for seamless entry.

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Contingency Planning – Preparing for unexpected delays or technical issues.

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Segmenting the Trip and Crew Duty

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Most people—whether administrative staff or travel agents—tend to segment a roadshow based on meeting locations. While this approach works for scheduling meetings, it doesn’t account for crew duty limitations.

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To effectively plan a private jet itinerary, the trip should be segmented by days rather than just destinations. In the example above, the journey is divided into four days: December 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th.

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This method is particularly valuable for executive personal assistants as it helps determine the crew’s available operating hours each day, ensuring a smooth and compliant flight schedule.

In this example, the crew operates three sectors in a single day.

The flight begins at 7:00 AM local time from Al Maktoum International (OMDW), making stops in Riyadh and Jeddah before concluding in Doha at night.

At first glance, the schedule seems manageable—three sectors, starting at 7:00 AM and finishing at 8:00 PM. It should be doable, right? However, a closer examination of crew duty limitations tells a different story.

Below is an indicative breakdown of the crew duty time for this schedule:

As you can see, crew duty limits have been exceeded, meaning the flight may not be legally or operationally feasible. This highlights why careful planning and awareness of crew duty regulations are essential when arranging a multi-sector roadshow.

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With three sectors, duty time is reduced by 1 hour 30 minutes, bringing the total allowable duty time to 11 hours 30 minutes.

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Pre- & Post-Flight Duty – Crew duty starts 45 minutes to an hour before departure and ends 30–45 minutes after arrival.

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• Under EASA regulations, duty can be extended if ground time exceeds three hours by implementing a “split duty” period.

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• In this scenario, the crew could split duty in Riyadh due to extended ground time.

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Factors Affecting Crew Duty Time

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Crew Acclimatization – Since the crew operates within the same time zones (+/- 1 hour), the impact on duty time is minimal. However, crossing multiple time zones—such as flying from Dubai to New York—directly reduces the allowable duty hours.

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‍Window of Circadian Low (WOCL) – If duty starts or ends during typical sleeping hours (2:00 AM – 6:00 AM local time), it affects crew duty time. In this case, the flight starts at 7:00 AM, so WOCL does not apply.

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Number of Sectors – Maximum crew duty time is 13 hours for two sectors. For each additional sector, duty time is reduced by 30 minutes.

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Solving Crew Duty Limitations

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The only solutions are to:

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Reduce ground time – Cutting 45 minutes in Riyadh could help.

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Limit the number of sectors – Removing one sector would resolve the issue.

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Managing Flight Delays

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If meetings run late or unexpected delays occur, crew and operators must follow aviation authority regulations. Fatigue is a major safety concern, and no responsible crew will accept a mission that violates duty time limits.

Crew discretion plays a crucial role in managing last-minute changes on the day of the flight.

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How Tribe Helps

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At Tribe, our software calculates crew duty limitations during the search process. If a schedule exceeds the limits, it flags the issue early, allowing adjustments before confirmation.

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This saves time, prevents last-minute surprises, and ensures a seamless roadshow experience.

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Landing Permissions and Slots

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Landing permissions are required whenever a foreign-registered aircraft intends to land in a country. If the aircraft is commercially registered—meaning it is authorized to carry passengers for compensation—most countries mandate a landing permit.

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This requirement is based on the Freedoms of the Air, a set of traffic rights established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). These rights, defined through bilateral agreements between nations, determine an aircraft’s privileges for landing, departing, and transporting passengers across borders.

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General Landing Permit Requirements:

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Most countries require operators to obtain landing and overflight permits from their Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) before a flight can operate.

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Exception – The EU Open Skies Policy:

The European Union follows an Open Skies Policy, eliminating the need for prior approval within the EU. However, this exception only applies to aircraft registered in the EU.

Landing Permissions: UAE to Qatar

In this scenario, the aircraft departs from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and lands in Qatar. When confirming this trip with Tribe, the partner operator—Titan Aviation, in this case—must submit passengers’ passport copies to UAE authorities for Advanced Passenger Information (API) processing.

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Before the crew even boards the aircraft, landing permissions for Doha must be secured.

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Qatar’s Landing Permit Process:

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Previously, Qatar required a sponsor letter to issue landing permits. However, this is no longer necessary. Instead, the operator—either directly or through an agent—must submit the required documentation, including passengers’ passport copies, to obtain approval.

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Processing Time:

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Qatar landing permits typically take 24 hours to process and are relatively straightforward if all documentation is in place.

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India: The Most Challenging Destination for Landing Permits

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Among the locations in our current schedule, India presents the most challenges for obtaining landing permits. The process requires a minimum of 72 hours during the working week, making advance planning crucial.

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Key Requirements:

• Passengers’ passport copies

• Letter stating the purpose of the visit (in some cases)

• Permit agent involvement – The Indian Directorate General of Civil

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Aviation (DGCA) mandates that operators work with an authorized permit agent to secure approvals.

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Important Consideration:

Once the permit application is submitted, adding passengers to the list is extremely difficult. It’s essential to finalize the passenger manifest before applying to avoid disruptions.

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Careful coordination and early submission are key to ensuring a smooth approval process.

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‍Understanding Cabotage in Private Jet Operations

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Cabotage refers to the right to operate a domestic flight using a foreign-registered aircraft. In our case, since we are operating a foreign aircraft within Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and India, cabotage does not apply as long as we are entering and leaving each country with the same group of passengers.

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However, if we were to carry additional passengers within Saudi Arabia or India, the flight would be classified as cabotage, requiring special permission.

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Cabotage Flights Are Rarely Allowed, But Exceptions Exist:

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Lack of Local Capacity – If the country does not have the necessary aircraft to operate the route.

Diplomatic Missions – When the flight request is for official diplomatic purposes.

Medical Emergencies – If the flight is required for urgent medical transport.

Understanding cabotage restrictions is critical when planning multi-sector roadshows to ensure compliance with local aviation regulations.

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Understanding Slots vs. Landing Permits

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‍Slots and landing permits are not the same. While landing permits are issued by Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA), slots are typically assigned by airports and/or Air Traffic Control (ATC).

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When Are Slots Required?

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At highly congested airports like London Heathrow, Nice, or Dubai International, a slot application may be necessary to secure an arrival or departure time. This can be challenging when organizing a roadshow with a tight schedule. A mismatch between landing and departure slots can cause major disruptions, leading to delays or rescheduling issues.

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How Tribe Helps

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For executive personal assistants managing complex itineraries, ensuring a smooth flight schedule is critical. At Tribe, we leverage our strong relationships with operating partners, permit agents, and ground handlers to coordinate slots efficiently.

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By anticipating potential bottlenecks and engaging with agents before confirmation, we proactively address scheduling challenges—reducing stress for both our customers and operator partners.

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Crew Visas: What You Need to Know

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It may come as a surprise, but not all countries allow flight crew to enter without a visa.

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GenDec (General Declaration) vs. Crew Visas

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Most countries operate on a GenDec system, allowing crew members to receive a visa on arrival due to the nature of their job. However, some countries, like China, require a specific crew visa, meaning operators must arrange visas in advance before confirming the flight.

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Crew Visa Rules in Saudi Arabia & India

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• Saudi Arabia & India generally follow the GenDec system, meaning visas on arrival are permitted for crew.

• Important Note: Crew members cannot be swapped within the country to extend crew duty. This means flight planning must account for duty time limits without relying on crew changes.

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Proper visa arrangements are crucial when organizing a multi-sector roadshow to avoid last-minute complications.

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Contingency Planning: Preparing for the Unexpected

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Just like any machine, airplanes can experience technical issues before or after a flight. In aviation, this is known as AOG (Aircraft on Ground). An AOG situation is a nightmare for everyone involved—from brokers and operators to the assistant that is organizing the flight.

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For personal assistants or travel agents, delivering the news that a trip must be canceled or postponed due to a technical issue can be especially challenging.

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Planning for Contingencies

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Unfortunately, securing a replacement aircraft for an AOG can be both costly and time-consuming. At a minimum, it usually takes 4 to 5 hours to arrange another aircraft, as this involves:

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- Finding a replacement aircraft.

- Processing paperwork

- Securing crew

- Transferring necessary permits

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Alternative Solutions

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While not ideal, the best course of action in such cases may be to use a commercial flight for the first leg of the journey and then continue the rest of the roadshow via private jet.

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Having a contingency plan in place ensures minimal disruptions and helps manage expectations in case of unforeseen technical issues.

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Conclusion

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Organizing and managing private jet roadshows as a personal or executive assistant is a complex task that demands meticulous planning and coordination. From securing landing permits and slots to navigating crew duty limits, cabotage laws, and visa requirements, every detail must be addressed to ensure seamless operations.

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Contingency planning, though often overlooked, is just as critical. Unforeseen issues like AOG (Aircraft on Ground) delays or scheduling conflicts can disrupt even the most carefully planned itineraries.

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At Tribe, we anticipate challenges before they arise and provide proactive solutions. By leveraging our extensive network of operators, agents, and ground handlers, we ensure that every aspect of your trip runs smoothly.

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Whether it’s streamlining permissions, optimizing schedules, or handling last-minute disruptions, we work tirelessly to support PAs, travel agents, and executive teams in delivering impeccable travel experiences.

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With Tribe, you can focus on your mission while we handle the complexities behind the scenes.