TL;DR: A charter flight is a non-scheduled flight in which an organizer rents seats on an aircraft from an airline, all of them or some of them, in order to sell them to others. A scheduled flight is one whose seats are offered for sale to the public, according to a published timetable or so regularly that the flights form a systematic series. Both need a permit from the Israel Civil Aviation Authority, and the Israeli Aviation Services Law does not distinguish between them.
What Is a Charter Flight?
According to the Israel Civil Aviation Authority, a passenger charter flight is a non-scheduled flight in which an organizer rents capacity on an aircraft from an air carrier, in order to sell it to others for carrying passengers. In plain terms: the organizer rents seats on the aircraft from the airline and sells them on. The Aviation Services Law also defines an "organizer" as someone who rents capacity on an aircraft, all or part of it, in order to sell it to others, so not necessarily the whole aircraft.
What Is a Scheduled Flight?
According to the Israel Civil Aviation Authority, a scheduled flight is part of a series of flights in which the airline offers the seats for sale to the public, itself or through someone acting for it who is not an organizer, and the flights operate according to a published timetable, or so regularly and frequently that they form a systematic series.
The definition of ICAO, the International Civil Aviation Organization, is similar: a flight open to the public that operates according to a published timetable, or so regularly that it forms a systematic series. Under ICAO's definition, any other international flight is a non-scheduled flight.
Who Supervises the Flights
Under the Aviation Services Licensing Law, every airline, Israeli or foreign, that carries passengers from or to Israel needs an operating permit from the Israel Civil Aviation Authority. According to the Authority, the same division, its Economics and Aviation Relations Division, approves both scheduled and charter flights.
A representative at the airport on every flight: the permit is granted only to an airline that undertakes to station at the airport, on every flight it operates, a person acting for it who helps passengers exercise their rights under the Aviation Services Law. That person must be at the airport from at least three hours before the scheduled departure until 30 minutes after take-off. The duty also applies at an airport abroad, on a flight to Israel of a passenger holding a round-trip ticket. An airline applying for a charter permit also submits a declaration to the Authority that it has appointed an airport representative.
Rights on a Delay or Cancellation
The Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance for Flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions), known in Israel as the "Tibi Law", does not distinguish between a charter flight and a scheduled flight. It applies to a flight taking off from Israel or to Israel, and according to the Consumer Protection Authority to domestic flights as well. A "flight ticket" under the law includes a confirmation issued by an organizer, even when it was issued as part of a package tour.
The law's duties also apply to the organizer: the operator or the organizer from whom the passenger receives a service is treated as performing the duties of the law, even if there is no agreement between it and the passenger, and the compensation is paid by the operator or the organizer.
The European regulation EU261 also states that its protection applies not only to scheduled flights but also to non-scheduled flights, including those forming part of package tours.
When compensation is due and how much, we cover in our passenger rights guide.
Cancelling a Booking
According to the Israel Consumer Protection Authority, a booking of travel or holiday services made remotely, without the parties meeting (for example by phone or online), can be cancelled within 14 days of the transaction, or of receiving the disclosure form if that is later, provided that more than 7 days that are not rest days remain until the flight. The cancellation fee is 5% of the transaction or 100 ILS, whichever is lower, and for flight tickets it applies to each ticket separately. The rule does not distinguish between a charter flight and a scheduled flight.
Sources: Israel Civil Aviation Authority (procedure for charter operating permits), the Aviation Services Law, the Aviation Services Licensing Law, the Consumer Protection Law and the Consumer Protection Authority, ICAO, European regulation EU261.
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