Flying Into Risk: Why Private Jet Travelers Need a Backup Plan

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Dubai was long hailed as one of the safest destinations in the world for wealthy travelers—until it wasn’t. But even after Iranian missiles and drones hit targets in the UAE in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli air strikes, it seemed that few with a local connection to the Gulf money pot wanted to acknowledge that safety in Dubai could be an illusion—not least because local authorities started jailing anyone who publicly acknowledged this inconvenient truth on social media.

The travel turmoil created by the outbreak of war in the Gulf has raised questions about the assumptions travelers make about their safety—even those traveling in private aircraft. Security experts have long cautioned against complacency when it comes to geopolitical instability, warning that asymmetric warfare can drastically change the equation in assessing risk.

When the Iran war erupted, hundreds of private jets were stranded in the Gulf states. These included a mix of aircraft based there as well as those visiting, or passing through en route to another destination. As air corridors were closed, passengers and crew were trapped. Once airspace reopened, departure slots were generally offered first to government-backed airlines like Emirates.

In some cases, travelers paid as much as $6,000 to be escorted through the desert in SUVs to seek flights in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Others just had to wait it out with thousands of airline passengers hunkering down in the face of an open-ended conflict.

Danger, Disruption, and Distress

While the risk to one’s life may not have been that high, there is no denying the disruption and distress that was caused. Family weddings, births, and time-sensitive business commitments were missed, triggering extreme anxiety for those stranded as well as their loved ones.

In time, a few private aircraft were moved out of the immediate war zone via countries on the edge of the region, such as Turkey. As flight activity resumed, insurance companies bulked up premiums and imposed rigid operating requirements in response to the direct targeting of civil airports by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

One operator, speaking with BJT on condition of anonymity, said they had been barred by their insurance company from parking at any Gulf airport for more than four hours. They were required to drop passengers off and then move the jet to Cairo, only to return to Dubai later to complete the mission. This resulted in six hours of additional flight time and added costs of around $100,000, including rapidly spiking insurance premiums.

According to security advisors at risk management group MedAire, it’s not a safe bet to assume that flying privately is less risky than traveling on the airlines. The company told BJT that the Iran war has “tested many assumptions” previously made about business aviation security and that “the sector should learn from these lessons rather than treat the period as an exception.”

John Cauthen, MedAire’s vice president for aviation and maritime security, warned that business aircraft can be significantly exposed because they are more visible. Private aircraft sometimes have to use facilities that are less secure than main airport terminals. In his view, risks on the ground are not always as thoroughly assessed as factors such as airspace closures, yet both are critical and should be assessed with information that is as close to real-time as possible.

“A risk picture developed two weeks before departure doesn’t reflect what’s happening locally that week,” Cauthen explained. “In a volatile environment, conditions can shift considerably in a short window.” 

Ask Tough Questions

According to Eric Schouten, who founded Dyami Security Intelligence and is a former officer of the Dutch intelligence and security service, too often wrong assumptions are made about who is handling and taking responsibility for security. He urges travelers to ask tough questions of those providing their flights and travel services.

“When you do security the right way, it [private aviation] is still the safest option,” he told BJT. “The ones who [aren’t used to going to dangerous places are particularly at risk]—but if you have an aircraft with global range, at some point you will go somewhere dangerous.”

Matthew Borie, co-founder and chief intelligence officer of security support provider Osprey Flight Solutions, echoed concerns over wealthy travelers’ complacency about the shifting risk environment. What unfolded in the Gulf states did not amount to the sort of extreme violence former military officer Borie saw in places like Iraq or Afghanistan, but he said there is a strong case for getting professional guidance “to evaluate your exposure to an environment that can change very quickly.”

A prime example is what happened in Kuwait. Once an initial ceasefire kicked in from April 8, there were no attacks in the country until May 27, when a military base came under Iranian fire. Within days, Kuwait International Airport was once again under fire from missiles that killed one person and injured several more, resulting in an immediate airspace closure for foreign aircraft.

What Is Your Escape Plan?

“You need to be aware of your options if trouble flares up quickly,” Borie said, “things like the shelter-in-place process. How does the country you are in give emergency alerts, and will you get them? If you have an aircraft, do you have the ability to take off at short notice, or could that process take 24 to 48 hours? What are you going to do if the airport closes? Do you have a plan to escape by land, and what travel documents might you need to do that?”

Wealth alone is no guarantee of safety and flexibility. “Don’t think just because you have the resources that you will be able to do what you want,” Borie said. “Plan for [security events]  and don’t make impulse decisions.”

Failure to plan and to acknowledge possible risks can make travelers susceptible to unrealistic promises made by flight providers. The Iran war also revealed how price gouging can quickly escalate, with astronomical amounts being paid for charter flights that could be arranged at short notice.

Fractional ownership and charter flight provider Flexjet says it takes security very seriously. The company, a customer of Osprey Flight Solutions, told BJT it has invested heavily in security expertise and a technology platform that allows it to assess public and private intelligence sources. 

Knowing When To Say No

Each day, the Flexjet operations team meets to determine where it is and isn’t safe to fly clients. If a trip request is deemed unsafe, Flexjet explains this to the client and, whenever possible, offers alternative itineraries. Of course, this can mean saying no to customers who are not accustomed to hearing that word.

“These days, passengers have to be prepared to be agile, because they will not be able to take every flight they might want,” said Flexjet CEO Andrew Collins. “We have been very conservative [about security] but remain agile. We plan a primary route and alternative routes. The number one thing we have with our customers is trust, and we are not putting that at risk.”

According to Collins, if travelers approach a charter provider who immediately says yes to a trip to somewhere with any kind of risk profile, they should immediately challenge the operator for more information about security measures. “Ask about your concerns. Ask when they last flew that route, and ask them what they have in place to mitigate risk. If you hear nothing but reassurance, it could be that the company simply doesn’t have access to all the facts.”

Collins believes the business aviation sector remains very safe, and he says that the challenges of the last five years have better equipped the industry to deal with instability. “Whether it has been Covid, government shutdowns, or [the U.S. attacks on] Venezuela, [these] created a forced nimbleness [on the part of aircraft operators],” he explained. “If you cannot keep up with geopolitical events, it is going to be very tough to scale up your operation. We learned a lot from Covid about how to take the right precautions to keep everyone safe.”

Charter flight broker Chapman Freeborn has its own risk department and a 24/7 operations center that constantly monitors factors that could disrupt trips and put clients at risk. According to Aniko Mersek, president of the group’s Americas division, it only works with reliable operators that include security arrangements as part of their standard operating procedures.

While stressing that clients are ultimately responsible for staying informed about security threats, Chapman Freeborn says it has “rigorous internal processes” to manage risk. “As a solution provider, we must always have a plan B,” Mersek explained. “Unexpected events, such as natural disasters, political conflicts, public health issues, and other disruptions, can impact the safety of clients and the success of their trips. Our goal is to anticipate challenges, mitigate potential disruptions, and ensure our clients can travel as safely and seamlessly as possible.”

Since the start of the Iran war, Chapman Freeborn’s teams in Dubai and Riyadh have had to provide real-time assessments of airspace closures, aircraft availability, fuel supplies, airport operating conditions, and other critical operational factors. The group was directly involved in arranging many of the flights booked to evacuate people from the conflict zone.

“In these situations, the first 24 hours are often the most critical,” Mersek said. “The faster we can assess the reality of the situation, the sooner we can provide clients with accurate information and solutions. Transparent and continuous communication with both carriers and clients is essential, particularly in environments where conditions can change with little warning. An airport that is operational one moment may close the next, requiring immediate contingency planning and alternative route options.”

London-based Tri-Tier Training security consultant Aran Dharmeratnam specializes in “getting people out of bad situations.” This can mean applying “physical disengagement skills,” but he stressed to BJT that the better strategy is staying out of harm’s way in the first place.

“Proxy warfare, which could involve organized crime and street gangs, is on the rise, and artificial intelligence platforms are now being used to identify patterns in the risks,” he explained. “Private jet companies could be doing more because there are gaps in protecting pilots and passengers.”

Osprey found that clients who had been ready to anticipate what could happen emerged from the crisis in a better situation. “Those who had contingency plans had a lot less disruption than those who did not,” said Borie.