Mechanical issues happen. What matters is whether you can recover fast without forcing the customer to eat the cost.

In this episode of the Iron Bird Podcast, Dan Harris sits down with Charter Flight Support Founder and CEO Josh Allen, and COO Erin Donnelly, to break down what Charter Flight Support actually is, how it’s deployed in the real world, and why most people misunderstand it at first.

They explain the problem brokers and operators face when a recovery option is available “on time,” but costs $30,000 more. Without protection, teams are forced to choose the cheaper option, even if it means delays, downgrades, or a worse client experience. With the service in place, you can pick the best recovery without taking a six-figure hit on your own balance sheet.

They also get into the membership model, what “good usage” looks like, why operators are increasingly the ones adopting it, and how their growing reliability dataset is starting to surface patterns the industry has never had visibility into before.

✈️ Key Topics Covered

• why “we’ll recover it” is not the same as “we’ll recover it on time”
• the real cost of a mechanical: money, trust, and long-term client retention
• how brokers and operators deploy coverage differently (front-facing vs behind the scenes)
• membership vs ad hoc, and how pricing gets locked in
• why operators are adopting it to reduce stress and protect relationships
• what their data shows on reliability, AOG rates, and operator performance

🔍 Why This Episode Matters

In charter, a mechanical is not rare. What’s rare is having a plan that protects both the client experience and the business outcome.

This episode is a practical look at:

• how to avoid “sorry, it’ll be 4 hours late” conversations
• why recovery decisions get messy when the delta is large
• how teams keep service consistent even when the aircraft cannot

🎧 Listen to the Episode

Catch the full conversation on the Iron Bird Podcast.

🤝 Episode Sponsors

• ✈️ Charter Flight Support

  The only coverage in private aviation that protects you when an aircraft mechanical issue stops your aircraft from flying.

  Charter Flight Support not only provides financial protection when replacement aircraft cost more, they also help locate and secure quality backup aircraft fast.

  Learn more at CharterFlightSupport.com and subscribe to The Fix newsletter for real-time insights on private jet trends, aircraft types, and rates.

• 📺 Video Valet

  If inflight experience matters, Video Valet delivers.

  With access to over 1.2 million movies, shows, magazines, and newspapers, Video Valet provides fully customized iPads for private aircraft without the need for expensive Wi-Fi or additional hardware.

  Mention Iron Bird and receive one free fully personalized iPad with your setup.

  
  

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