As seat-sharing platforms and peer-to-peer travel arrangements expand, on-demand charter operators are facing increasing legal and regulatory risk. Aviation attorney Paul Lange notes that when clients—or even their passengers—resell individual seats, even casually, the operation can be deemed “common carriage,” placing Part 135 and Part 91 operators in violation of federal regulations.
The implications are significant. Operators may face FAA enforcement, certificate action, insurance denials, civil liability, and reputational harm. Even a minor onboard incident can escalate into a negligence claim when the flight is found to be conducted outside regulatory compliance.
Read more in the latest issue of the Aviation Business Journal at www.nata.aero/abj.