Story ID: 
Startup Platform Arranges Shared Charter Flights
By: Jerry Siebenmark
Caption: SharedCharter platform aims to connect charter passengers and lower cost of private flying.
Word Count: 192
Veteran pilot Carl Marbach has launched SharedCharter, a Web-based platform for connecting people to book and share private charter flights in the U.S. “When charter flights fill empty seats, typically the price of the flight goes down for all the travelers,” said Marbach, president and CEO of SharedCharter. “I realized there was a need for a hub where people could easily find others to share their desired flights and at the same time, significantly reduce the price of the flight versus chartering the plane on their own.”

The platform—which earns a commission on each trip from either the operator or broker—allows people to search for a charter flight or sign up for a free membership and propose a new, shared flight. Once two parties match a flight, SharedCharter provides secure and anonymous communication between them to discuss trip specifics. Once the parties agree on the specifics, SharedCharter also will provide a concierge to manage flight arrangements with Part 135 operators and charter brokers.

Those operators and brokers are vetted by SharedCharter to ensure users of the web-based platform end up on legal Part 135 flights.