Arranging an air charter in Australia is more straightforward than most first-time customers expect. The work breaks into a small number of well-defined steps, and a competent charter desk will guide a customer through them inside an hour for most missions. This guide describes the actual sequence, what information to bring to the first call, and what to expect from quote to wheels-up.
Aviall arranges cargo, group passenger and medevac charter from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and every other Australian capital, plus regional and remote sites. The process below is the same one the operations desk uses every day.
Step 1. Make the first call
The first call sets the operational tone for the entire mission. Aviall's duty desk is reachable on 1800 796 769 or by request form. The desk's first job is to capture a clean mission specification: type of charter (cargo, passenger or medevac), origin and destination, dates and times, weight and dimensions or pax count, any special requirements, and a contact for follow-up.
Customers often hesitate to call before they have all the answers. That instinct is worth resisting. The desk would rather work with a partial spec from minute zero than wait for a complete spec that arrives an hour later.
Step 2. Provide the mission specification
For cargo: weight, dimensions of each piece, total piece count, dangerous-goods classification, packaging type, ready time at origin, latest acceptable arrival at destination, port of entry if international, customs broker if known, and any inland transport requirements at either end.
For group passengers: pax count, baggage profile, departure window, return leg if applicable, cabin service expected (catering, in-flight entertainment, branded boarding), and any accessibility requirements.
For medevac: clinical picture (subject to any privacy constraints), patient location, receiving facility if confirmed, medical assistance company or insurer if applicable, and the contact for the sending facility.
A precise spec returns a precise quote. A vague spec returns a defensive quote with margin built in for unknowns. Twenty minutes spent assembling the spec before the call typically saves an hour of back-and-forth and several percent on the final price.
Step 3. Receive the quote
For most Australian missions, Aviall returns a written quote within an hour of the first call. The quote includes two or three aircraft options where multiple types could do the job, the wheels-up window expressed as a range, the price built up from its components (block hours, fuel, crew, handling, permits, insurance, margin), and any documentation or authorisations the customer needs to provide.
Quotes are usually valid for 24 hours on standard missions and shorter on urgent activations because aircraft availability changes by the hour.
Step 4. Confirm the booking
Booking is confirmed in writing. The booking document records the aircraft type and registration, the routing, the wheels-up window, the price, the documentation required, and the operational contacts on both sides. For urgent activations, verbal confirmation is normally accepted from a known customer with the booking document following within hours.
Payment terms are set against the customer's credit relationship with the desk. New customers are typically asked for advance payment or a deposit; established customers operate on agreed credit terms. Insurance, including hull and liability, is arranged by the operator and confirmed in the booking document.
Step 5. Documentation and pre-flight
Between booking and wheels-up, several documentation threads run in parallel:
Cargo: airway bill, dangerous-goods declaration if applicable, packing list, commercial invoice, customs documentation at port of entry.
Passenger: manifest with passport details for international, security clearance for restricted airports, special-assistance requirements.
Medevac: clinical handover documentation, medical-equipment list, drug list, any controlled-substance documentation for international.
Permits: overflight and landing permits at every country involved.
Slots: airport slot bookings at congested airports, particularly Sydney Kingsford Smith.
Ground handling and customs: confirmed handlers at both ends with arrival times.
The operations desk runs all of these in parallel. The customer's role is to provide documentation promptly when requested.
Step 6. Operations day
On the day of the flight, the operations desk monitors aircraft positioning, crew check-in, fuel uplift, cargo or pax acceptance, customs clearance and any last-minute permit or weather variances. The customer has a single point of contact at the desk for the duration of the mission.
After wheels-up, the desk monitors the flight and stays in contact with handling at the destination. On arrival, the desk confirms cargo or pax handover, customs clearance, and any onward inland transport.
Step 7. Post-flight
After the mission, Aviall closes the file with the proof of delivery, customs paperwork, any variations to the original quote, and the final invoice. For repeat customers, post-flight feedback is captured to refine the spec and pricing on future similar missions.
What to expect across charter types
Cargo: see cargo charter services for the full process and aircraft options.
Group passenger: see group charter flights for the cabin service standard and pricing framework.
Medevac: see air ambulance and medevac for clinical capability and aircraft.
Urgent activations: see urgent air freight charter for the AOG and time-critical workflow.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to arrange a charter in Australia?
For most missions, the quote is back inside an hour and wheels-up is between 3 and 24 hours from confirmed booking, depending on aircraft type and route. Outsize and intercontinental missions can require longer. See the dedicated guide on how fast charter flights can be arranged.
Do I need to handle the airport and customs myself?
No. Aviall coordinates ground handling, customs, permits and inland transport at both ends as standard. The customer can take handover at any point in the chain if preferred.
Can I get a charter quote without committing?
Yes. Quotes are non-binding until the customer confirms the booking in writing. Aviall returns realistic numbers on the first quote rather than headline-grabbing low numbers that change at booking; the desk would rather lose a quote than win a booking it cannot deliver against.
Do you operate from regional and remote Australian airports?
Yes. Aviall regularly arranges charter into Karratha, Newman, Port Hedland, Mount Isa, Kalgoorlie, Cloncurry, Toowoomba Wellcamp, Avalon and other regional and remote airports, plus Christmas Island, Cocos Islands and Norfolk Island.
