1. Fred, can you briefly walk us through your journey in private aviation over the past 30 years?
Well, my career started first in commercial aviation as a ground handling agent (checkin, boarding and arrivals), then I was offered to be trained and promoted to dispatcher (the one in charge of coordinating the plane turn-around, preparing the load plan and load and balance sheet).

After a few years, I was offered to start-up the FBO from the company I was working with, that was in 2009. Why me ? Well my boss at that time told me that I was the only one giving so much attention to details and always going the extra mile to satisfy the crew and passengers (because yes, we were also handling some private flight from time to time). And then things got bigger for me… the team grew up, from me solo to 13 staff in summer.

Then in 2015 I was offered to be part of a task force team to go launch one of our FBOs in Malaga (Spain), and in 2017 I was chased by the world leader in ground handling to launch their private aviation handling entity and build 4 FBOs in North Africa, where I staid 6 years. After which I joined a broker company and also started to be a private consultant and advisor in VIP ground handling, FBO management and charter brokerage.

2. What’s the biggest misconception people have about becoming a charter broker?
Well, many people think that like brokers from other industry, we only act as a middle man. And think that this middle man is a travel agent… a pure salesman basically.
And that is terribly wrong. A charter broker is indeed a middle man here to find the best option for his customer, but it’s a lot more than that. A professional charter broker is before anything else, a private advisor. An advisor that master the complexity of flight operations and ground operations.

Not because you will need to do flight Ops, send flight plans, request permits and handle the flight yourself on the ground, but because you need to know how the industry works at almost every level and stage.
So a charter broker, a professional one, isn’t just a simple salesman, he’s an aviation professional.

3. How would you explain the role of a charter broker to someone completely new to the industry?
Think of them as a highly specialized travel matchmaker and coordinator. They are not just “selling a jet”, they are organizing the whole charter process so the trip fits the client’s schedule, preferences, and budget. And once the flight is sold, they follow the mission from point A to B to anticipate any bad surprises, and solve the issues before the customer even knows.

4. In your experience, what separates successful brokers from those who struggle?
Well, in my opinion expertise is what makes a huge difference. A successful broker knows what his customer needs before he even asks it. A successful broker is reliable, transparent, trustworthy and discret. Oh… and I forgot… available 24/7 !

5. Realistically, how long does it take for a new broker to start earning consistent income?
Well I’d say that it really depends on each individual. But if you are motivated, hard working and mostly CURIOUS, you can start seeing your first incomes within 3 to 4 months. You might not be closing 6 figure deals at that time but 5 figure ones easily… But hey… I’ve had in my team new broker that did close 6 figure deals after 4 months. As I said, it’s all about who you are, what you want and the effort you are willing to put into it.

6. What are the most common mistakes beginners make when entering this industry?
Beginners most often make the mistake of thinking charter brokerage is just about finding the cheapest or fastest quote. In reality, the job is about understanding the client’s needs, spotting hidden costs and operational risks, and staying involved until the trip is actually completed, what we call the flight following.
And I think one of the worse ones is not focussing on client retention. Begginers tend to quote, sell, take the money and jump on the next lead. That’s a massive mistake…

For a deeper dive into whether this career is right for you, read Is Becoming a Charter Broker Worth It? 

7. For someone considering this career, what skills matter most early on?
Without a doubt, english. You need to master the english language, spoken and written.
Second, in my opinion, curiosity. At first you’ll hear many technical terms (and we try to cover them all in our courses)… if you are not curious enough to search and understand, and just repeat them without knowing what you’re talking about, opeators and clients won’t take you as a serious broker.
Third, I would say patience and resilience. Every quote you send will not close, and it can be frustrating to spend hours on a lead request to end up ghosted, or find out someone else closed it.
And last… but defenitely not least… you should not be shy and introvert.

8. Would you recommend starting part-time or going all-in from day one? Why?
Well it depends on each individual, but if your aim is to start monetising quickly (within 3-4 months like I mentioned earlier), you need to go all-in from day one.
Althoug we will help you, creating your network (affiliates, brokers, operators, clients) takes time and energy. If you are busy with a part time or half time job or occupation on the side, it will slow down your start-up.

9. How do different markets (like the U.S. vs Middle East) impact a broker’s earning potential?
Market matters a lot because a broker’s income is usually tied to the deal size, the commission structure, and how much charter activity a region generates. In the U.S, the market is the largest and it’s mature as it is the oldest, so you can see strong volume and clearer salary benchmarks. While the Middle East tends to offer fewer but often larger, higher-touch trips tied to wealthy private clients and premium travel demand.
U.S and Middle east markets are very different in terms of client mindsets and demand. In the U.S most of the private aviation clients use it to commute fast and are not interested in all the fancy catering and interiors, compared to the Middle East clientel that has the total opposite mindset.

If you want to understand the broader market differences, check out our Best Markets to Become a Charter Broker blog post.

10. If you were starting from scratch today, what would you do differently?
Well to be honest I was thinking right now that maybe I should have tried to start my career in private aviation since day one… but in reality, the technical expertise I gained in commercial aviation has without any doubt been the reason I’ve been given the chance to swtich to private aviation. I’m pretty happy of the way I started when I see where I am today.