Air charter companies specialise in individual private aircraft transfers and itineraries. Daniella Di Gaspero lists some of the companies that operate in Southern Africa.

Airlink

Airlink is an independent regional airline that offers lodge links and lodge charter flights. The airline operates direct routes to bush lodges in the Sabi Sand through Skukuza Airport as well as to Arathusa, Londolozi and Ulusaba using a Caravan aircraft. The airline also offers charter services. Passengers are recommended to travel with soft luggage.

Federal Airlines

Federal Airlines offer shuttle services to lodges in the Sabi Sand, Madikwe, Makalali, Timbavati and Phinda game reserves as well as customisable charter flights for both business and leisure travellers. It operates a fleet of 20 aircraft, including a Beechcraft 1900, Beechcraft Kingair 200, Pilatus PC-12, Cessna Caravan, Piper Navajo, Beechcraft Baron 58, Cessna Mustang Jet, Learjet 45 and Embraer 145 Regional Jet. The aircraft can seat between six and 19 passengers. The airline flies to every SADC country on private charter flights. Passengers who charter an aircraft exclusively are permitted to carry more than 25kg of luggage as long as it does not exceed the limitations of the plane. 

Proflight Zambia

Proflight Zambia offers chartered flights throughout Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa, through a mutual shareholding with its sister company, ProCharter. ProCharter operates 12 aircraft – two five-seat Beechcraft Barons; one seven-seat Cessna 401; an eight-seat KingAir90; a nine-seat KingAir200; a 12-seat Cessna Grand Caravan; two 18-seat Jetstream 32s; three 29-seat Jetstream 41s; and one 50-seat CRJ aircraft. Passengers are recommended to travel with soft luggage and luggage weight restrictions are dependent on the number of passengers and aircraft booked.

Solenta Aviation

Solenta Aviation was founded in 2000 and is a specialised commercial aviation company offering regional jet and turboprops, aircraft charter and management consultancy.  The company has 45 aircraft that range from the 12-seat Cessna Caravan to 50 seats on the Embraer ERJ145 and 66 seats on the ATR72.

Chapman Freeborn

Chapman Freeborn is an independent air charter broker that operates small and mid-sized private jets including Citation CJ1/CJ2, Learjet 45 and Citation Sovereign in South Africa and Kenya. Chapman Freeborn also operates lodge link flights to the Kruger area. As the airline operates over 800 aircraft worldwide, luggage restrictions are dependent on the size of the aircraft, however passengers are advised to have soft luggage weighing no more than 15kg.

African Charter Airline

African Charter Airline has three Boeing 737s that can carry between 130 and 215 passengers, and one MD-80 that can carry between 130 and 172 passengers. The airline operates charter services to Cape Town, Kruger National Park, Walvis Bay, the Namibian desert, Mozambique, Pemba, Inhambane, Vilanculos, Zanzibar, Madagascar and Mombasa. Passengers are limited to 32kg for checked-in luggage and 10kg for carry-on luggage, with total luggage weight not exceeding 45kg. 

 Blu Crane Air

Blu Crane Air offers charters to any destination within South Africa for up to seven passengers with its fleet of Cessna 414As. Passengers are all allowed a maximum of 9kg of soft luggage (hard suitcases are not permitted). Passengers can check in for their flight at the Blu Crane Air office in Port Elizabeth and will then be transported via the Blu Crane shuttle to the airport.

Execujet Africa

Execujet Africa is a private charter service that operates to and from Lanseria International Airport, Cape Town International Airport and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The airline operates a diverse fleet that includes business jets, large jets, turbo props, long-range jets and helicopters.

Bukela Africa Safaris

Bukela Africa Safaris uses a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft and offers private guided flying safaris to and from Sabi Sand Private Reserve and Cape Town, South Africa; Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique; Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe; Okavango Delta, Botswana; and Sossusvlei, Namibia.  The aircraft can accommodate four passengers.

Cape Scenic Flights

Cape Scenic Flights specialises in luxury aerial sightseeing tours around the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. Groups of three or more are accommodated in an eight-seat Airvan, which can hold a maximum passenger weight of 570kg.

Air Charter Services

Air Charter Services offers private and group charters to Kenya and South Africa. The group charter division of the company uses larger passenger aircraft such as regional jet airliners, turboprops, executive airliners and narrow to wide-body aircraft that can accommodate from 10 to 644 passengers.

Cemair

Cemair is a licensed international and domestic scheduled and non-scheduled air carrier in South Africa that operates charter routes to Bloemfontein, George, Margate, Plettenberg Bay and Sishen (Northern Cape) using four Beechcraft 1900Ds, one Bombardier Dash 100 and nine Bombardier CRJs. The aircraft can carry from 19-50 passengers and luggage is restricted to 21-31kg per person.

Fair Aviation

Fair Aviation offers private air charter services across Africa for small groups or large groups of up to 300 people. The company operates King Air 200, Gulfstream 111, Challenger 600 and Learjet 35A aircraft. Luggage restrictions are dependent on the aircraft and the number of passengers.

Fortune Air Charters

Fortune Air Charters provides VIP and business charter services across Southern Africa. The VIP charters use aircraft ranging from long-range jets to helicopters. The company also operates air safari charters to any five-star lodge in Southern Africa. This service is operated by PC12 and Socata TBM 700 aircraft. Passengers are recommended to have a soft suitcase for air safari charters.

Owenair

Owenair is based at Lanseria International Airport and at Signature Flight Support in Cape Town and offers private domestic charters for up to 20 passengers. Services are operated with Beechcraft Baron 58, Citation Mustang, Cessna Citation 500 and Beechcraft Premier 1A aircraft. Luggage is restricted to 21-31kg per person.