FAQs
Passengers
A new platform that connects private pilots with those who are looking for a more cost-effective way to enjoy flying. Pilots will take passengers on their posted flights, with passengers paying a share of flight costs in return. In this way, pilots save on their flight costs, and passengers get cheaper flights. Everyone wins!
Yes. Both The Ginger private Pilot and the concept of flight sharing, along with advertising sharing your flight costs is legal. The EASA has confirmed that our platform itself as well as flight sharing as a process is fully legal in the European Union, under European Regulation (EU) No 965/2012. Private pilots can share their flight costs as long as the airplane has 6 seats or less, and it has a non-complex drivetrain. They must not, however, profit from this approach.
Pilots using The Ginger Private Pilot don’t make profit from the flight. Instead they ask that passengers pay a share of the flight costs. These costs include fuel, airport fees and any plane rental fees if they apply. This means that each flight will have different costs, however passengers will see an estimated cost when requesting a flight. You share of the flight costs will depend on how many passengers are on the flight, and the share of flight costs the pilot would like. This can be up to the pro-rata share.
In general, our pilots fly light aircraft, small single-engine piston planes that can carry between 2 to 6 passengers, including the pilot. The exact make and model will vary depending on the pilot in question, but full details of the airplane are included in flight descriptions.
Its very simple through our platform. You can search by the area you wish to fly from or the destination you are looking, using either specific airport searches or city locations. In addition, you can use our map view to narrow down to a particular area and see what is on offer.
With new flights being posted all the time, our pilots offer a vast range of trip choices for your shared flight. From sightseeing journeys, round trips to a particular location or one-way trips to a specific place, there are flights to cover everything you may need. If you find a destination is not covered, you can quickly post a flight request to pilots in the area and see if anyone will take you.
On the flight description page, you can submit your passenger flight request and details. You should get a reply from your pilot in a short time.
Once I’ve been accepted onto a flight, what happens next?
You pay your share of the flight costs to The Ginger Private Pilot, who hold the money until the trip is successfully completed before passing your share of the flight costs to the pilot. Then, your pilot will give you all the information you need for the flight, where to go and so on, and then, turn up on time on the day and enjoy your shared cost flight.
Whatever you want! If you’ve booked a day trip, just remember to arrive back to the airfield at the agreed time and not leave your pilot or other passengers waiting.
Smaller planes are much more susceptible to excess weight than the commercial planes you are used to. Your pilot will discuss weights with you when arranging the shared flight, and that should include any luggage. Please don’t bring anything extra, and also respect the luggage restrictions your pilot informs you of.
We accept credit and debit cards and PayPal.
When you book a flight, we take the full amount agreed with the pilot. We hold those funds until the flight has been completed, and then pass that to the pilot on your behalf. In the case of a cancellation, we provide a full refund of your payment.
If bad weather or other situation causes your flight to be cancelled, your pilot will let you know immediately. We will refund your payment automatically. This can take up to 72 hours depending on the payment type.
No. Our system ensures that pilots receive a share of the flight costs.
Our pilots are enthusiastic flyers and are extremely reliable. However, in the unlikely case of a pilot not attending a shared flight, then you will get a full refund. After every flight, we send each passenger an email to confirm the flight took place. You can respond appropriately, and we will deal with the situation for you.
No. The Ginger Private Pilot is not offering a charter service, and flights can be cancelled at the pilot’s discretion. You are sharing a flight with your pilot, there are no scheduled flights. If a flight is cancelled, you will of course be provided a full refund.
Each pilot has their own rules on this, check with the pilot of your chosen shared flight beforehand.
Absolutely! The Ginger Private Pilot is all about sharing flights and the love of flying. A flight in a small plane is very different to a commercial airline, and it’s definitely something you want to record as an amazing trip. We love to see snaps from flights too, so don’t forget to send them to us and let us share them with the rest of the community.
You can cancel your flight up to 48 hours before the shared flight date and still receive a full refund of your payment. However, after this period, please contact your pilot to explain your situation and ask for a cancellation. The pilot will then process the cancelation and you will receive a full refund.
Once you have been accepted a s passenger, a few days before the shared flight, your pilot will get in touch with all the details. You can ask about the best way to travel to the airport or any other questions you may have to make sure you are prepared for the day.
While extensive, our pilots may not have posted flights to a destination you are interested in. In this case, you can post a Flight Request, noting the destination you want to fly to, as well as preferred start point and timeframes, and pilots in the area will get in touch if it is something that they are interested in. This saves you from having to contact pilots individually.
Pilots
A platform that connects private pilots with those who are looking for a more cost-effective way to enjoy flying. Whether it is sightseeing tours, a day trip or a one-way flight, as a pilot you can post the flights you love and accept other flight lovers as passengers on your flights. They pay a share of the flight costs, saving you money. This means that not only can you share your passion for flight, but you can afford to fly more often too, keeping your licenses current and having fun.
Yes. Both The Ginger private Pilot and the concept of flight sharing, along with advertising sharing your flight costs is legal. The EASA has confirmed that our platform itself as well as flight sharing as a process is fully legal in the European Union, under European Regulation (EU) No 965/2012. Private pilots can share their flight costs as long as the airplane has 6 seats or less, and it has a non-complex drivetrain. They must not, however, profit from this approach.
The Ginger Private Pilot have developed our platform with simplicity in mind. Once registered as a pilot, you can list any flight or trip you would like to share flight costs with on the system. Passengers who would like to fly with you on that trip can submit a request to accompany you in return for a pro-rata share of the allowed flight costs. We take care of everything, we take payments from passengers, and then pay directly into your account after the trip for peace of mind. We are always here to help with any issues, so you have full support every step of the way.
There are a number of your flight costs that can be shared, differing slightly for rental aircraft and those who own their own airplane.
For owned airplanes, the shared flight costs include:
- Fuel expenses
- Airport fees including landing andtie down costs.
For rented airplanes:
- Rental Costs
- Fuel Costs (For dry rentals that donot include fuel)
In either case, the cost to passengers must never exceed their pro-rata share of those flight costs.
Nothing! Not only have we made sure our system is easy to use, it’s free to use as well! Just add a flight, submit the details including plane type and so on, and that’s it.
Sometimes, its nice to be spontaneous, so you don’t always plan everything out too far in advance when it comes to flying. Our adaptable flights system takes this into account, allowing you to offer a shared flight with a choice of dates rather than a specific one, and allows you and your passengers to find a time that suits everyone before committing to the flight.
You are paid straight into your bank account by The Ginger Private Pilot. We take the passengers money before the flight to ensure your payment, and we initiate the money transfer 48 hours after the successful completion of the flight. This is an automatic payment system for ease of use and peace of mind.
Yes. Passengers request a place on your shared flight, but as the pilot, you are always in control. You can reject or accept any passenger at your own discretion.
When booking a shared cost flight, passengers are required to enter the weight of each passenger and any luggage they may wish to bring, so you are always informed of the weight involved.
Flights on The Ginger Private Pilot can always be cancelled or delayed at the pilot’s discretion. You can do so through the flight management system. It is important to use the system rather than any other way of informing passengers to comply with our terms and conditions.
Unfortunately, no. The system operates on a fixed fee for each flight, agreed prior to take-off. To avoid this, its important to calculate both the flight itself and the flight costs you wish to share accurately when posting flights.
Simply upload a photo of your current flying licences including your last ratings, along with a valid medical certificate. We will then verify everything for you.
For the safety and security of all members of the community, it is important to verify that you are legally allowed to fly light aircraft and carry passengers. We take your privacy seriously, and keep your documents completely confidential, only using them for our internal verification process.
Passengers who wish to fly with you send a request for your flight. You simply accept that request, which confirms the passenger payment and enters the shared flight into the system.
While extensive, our posted flights to a destination may not cover all destinations passengers interested in. In this case, passengers can post a Flight Request, noting the destination required, as well as preferred start point and timeframes. As a pilot, you can easily see requests in your area and get in touch if it is something that you are interested in.
Passengers can only cancel flights no less than 48 hours before the flight is scheduled. However, if they want to cancel within that 48 hours, you must cancel via the booking manager system