Private Aviation: Etiquette and What to Expect

The rear left seat, behind the front passenger, is traditionally the principal's seat: easiest to enter from the kerb and furthest from traffic. Nobody will correct you if you sit elsewhere, and on a private aviation transfer with two passengers the rear bench is the normal arrangement.

Rest is a legitimate use of a a private aviation transfer. Passengers arriving from a long flight frequently sleep, and chauffeurs adjust route smoothness and cabin temperature accordingly.

Chauffeurs take their cue from you. A greeting and a confirmation of the destination is standard; beyond that, conversation is offered and dropped without awkwardness if you would rather work or rest. Saying so directly is entirely normal and never taken badly.

If you need silence for a call, the vehicle is quiet enough, and the chauffeur will not interject.

The chauffeur loads and unloads. Offering to help is polite and unnecessary; declining help is equally fine. Fragile or valuable items are best mentioned rather than assumed, particularly on a private aviation transfer covering FBO and executive handling transfers coordinated with the flight operator.

Presentation is part of the service. For a a private aviation transfer the chauffeur arrives in business dress, the cabin is prepared with still water, and phone charging is available without needing to ask.

Still water is provided. Hot drinks and food are generally discouraged in the cabin for practical reasons rather than snobbery, and vehicles are non-smoking, including vaping. Ask if you need an exception; it is usually possible to arrange a stop.

Accurate details produce accurate quotations. For a a private aviation transfer, the useful facts are the full pickup address, the destination, the date and time, the passenger count and the luggage volume. Anything else is refinement.

Tipping is discretionary and never added automatically. Where clients do tip, ten per cent is the common convention in the UK, and a note to the desk about a chauffeur who did well is valued just as highly.

Pricing for a a private aviation transfer is quoted in advance and confirmed in writing. Waiting time, parking and tolls are set out at the point of quotation rather than added afterwards.

Chauffeurs arrive early. The reciprocal courtesy is a realistic ready time, and a message if you are running late, so waiting can be managed rather than guessed at.

Where a a private aviation transfer crosses regions, the itinerary is planned as one continuous movement rather than a series of handovers, so luggage and passengers stay with the same vehicle.