international trip planning services

[Igor]

thanks for the info all.

 

[SansPlane]

I've used Universal for more than 30 years. No-one is perfect, but Universal is the company that started it all, and has the connections as well as the "brick & mortar" facilities worldwide that no other trip support company has. Universal wrote the book about the business - all the others are Johnny come lately's. And IPTS is the same - most of their folks are ex UV employees, and their small size to me is a big negative, they simply don't have the connections and worldwide network in place to make things happen.

But much has changed in 30 years and to some operators, a few bucks saved here and there adds up. A post to one of the message boards here (there), an email or two and you have your connections or a referral to a good handler. Brick and mortar is not what it used to be. I like your loyalty but if I was paying the bills...

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Traveling the world is just is not what it was back in the 80's.

I hear lots of stories about 3 month prep to go to China and Russia...stashing 50K in cash on the ole trusty Jesus 4 (GIV) to buy your way out of places etc, etc....tune in to NBAA airmail and listen to the geriatric MacGyver tales of traveling back when we worked hard for the priviledge of a corporate pilot position and didn't have everything handed to us on the newfangled internet. Damn Generation X....

Im sure there are some challenging areas still, but even Africa is not terribly difficult anymore. Not saying its easy work or enjoyable...just not that hard.

For example - Just take a look at the fees they charge to pay your bills. They often slap on 10-15% right there just to invoice you. Tell them to use your own company credit card during the trip. Not difficult....also $350 to set up a car? (call a cab?) $75 for a weather check? $50 for a fax? pull out your phone, ipad, laptop, ACARS, etc..

Use whatever works for you, but simply handing it all over to a "service" often results in a sky-high bill (and worse) - too much babysitting.

 

[patq1]

I have used ITPS a few times lately and they have been good

 

[CorpCaptain]

We've used Universal into some really interesting places needing not only flight services but contractors for major security needs. Only had a problem one time and they ate the cost for the entire trip. Nothing bad to say about them. If your ever near HOU you should go take the tour of their facility. Pretty amazing stuff.

 

[can99]

I use the old fashioned acukwik and that modern thing called email.... combined with a world wide edition of flitestar its easy. I can have Delhi to London booked in about 3 hrs, the other way Delhi to Tokyo its even quicker .

Give it a try as others have said International planning and permitting is really not hard! I am lazy though and get overflights through local handlers. If I had AFTN access I could get the overflights myself, apart from some where you need local access, but now I have the local contacts for those weird countries that need a local to go and file the permit application its easy and cheap(ie $25 per overflight for Myanmar vs $175 via Jeppesen!!). The acukwik can give you all the info you need.

As an example of the costs, when I started Jeppesen charged us $18 000 to go Delhi to Shanghai. Now I do it myself, and its $5700 !! with 4 days on the ground in Shanghai !!

 

[motopilot404]

I've had great luck with the large aircraft team at UV, we do about 75% of our flying out of country with minimal issues.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I've had great luck with the large aircraft team at UV, we do about 75% of our flying out of country with minimal issues.

Do they really call themselves the "large aircraft team" these days??

Thats great, lol.