PLAIN ENGLISH · PUBLISHED
The Weather-Safe
Guarantee.
Other brokers bury their refund terms in 40 pages of fine print. Ours fits on this one. If a cancellation isn't your fault, you don't pay for it. Here's exactly how it works.
No Weather Risk
If weather prevents your flight, 100% refund or free reschedule. Your choice.
No Mechanical Risk
If the aircraft has a mechanical issue, full refund plus a $500 credit as an apology.
Plain-English Tiers
Tiered refunds for client cancellations. No fine print. Exactly as stated below.
Weather, Mechanical, or Operator Failure
If Vanbert, the operator, or the weather cancels your flight, you are protected regardless of timing. This is the guarantee.
Our dispatchers make the call based on safety, not economics. If your captain says no, that's the end of the discussion and your money comes back.
If You Need to Cancel
Refunds on client cancellations are tiered by how much notice we have. This lets us recover costs already spent with the operator (repositioning, crew booking, fuel loading). We don't keep anything we don't have to spend.
Conversion to travel credit: Non-refundable cancellations can be converted to travel credit at 75% of the ticket value, usable for any Vanbert flight within 12 months. No expiration if you book one qualifying flight per year.
Empty Leg Bookings
Empty legs are discounted precisely because the aircraft's schedule is already fixed. As such, they're generally non-refundable once confirmed — but we'll help you resell the seat or reschedule to a different empty leg if one becomes available.
Questions We Actually Get Asked
Who decides what counts as "weather"?
The operating captain has final authority, advised by our dispatchers. This isn't a grey zone we negotiate — if the crew says no, we refund. That's the principle. "Weather" includes visibility at destination, crosswind limits for the aircraft type, thunderstorm proximity, and icing at altitude. Your forecast says sunny but the captain sees something you can't; trust the captain.
How long until my refund actually hits my account?
For refunds to credit cards: 5-7 business days after we approve the cancellation. Wire transfers: same day to 2 business days. We process every refund same-day to the card processor or bank — the remaining time is their side.
What if I cancel because a family member is ill?
We handle bereavement and medical emergency cases case-by-case and generally waive fees. We may ask for documentation (doctor's note, death certificate) for our own records, not as a gatekeeper. Call our concierge — this is a conversation, not a form submission.
Can I change my destination instead of canceling?
Usually yes, at no fee, if we have more than 24 hours notice and the new destination is within the same aircraft's range. If the change requires a different (larger/smaller) aircraft, we'll requote transparently. No penalty for changes more than 72 hours out.
What happens if the aircraft I booked gets swapped to a different one?
We notify you immediately with the new tail number, aircraft type, and any difference in value. You have three options: (1) accept the new aircraft at the original price (if upgraded) or at an adjusted price (if different category), (2) take a 100% refund, (3) reschedule to the originally booked aircraft type on a different date. Aircraft swaps are rare — we filter operators to reduce this.
Are fees ever added after I book?
No. Your quote includes every fee we charge — aircraft, fuel surcharge, landing, handling, crew expenses, FET tax, catering (if selected). The only circumstance where a post-booking fee could apply is if you add services (extra catering, change of destination requiring more fuel, overnight crew you didn't initially request). Those would be quoted transparently before we apply them.
What about international permits and customs fees?
Bahamas customs/immigration overflight permits and landing fees are always included in your initial quote. If you're flying somewhere unusual, any special permits are quoted before booking. We never add a customs charge to your final invoice that wasn't disclosed upfront.
Who pays for the crew's overnight hotel if we stay?
If your itinerary includes overnights (more than 12 hours on the ground at a destination), crew per-diem and hotel are shown as a line item on your original quote. No surprises.
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR BOOKING?
Talk to a Real Human
Our concierge is on 24/7. Most cancellation conversations take less than 5 minutes — no phone trees, no escalations, no legal department.