How to Request an ACMI Quote: What an Operator Needs From You
An ACMI lease (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) can be arranged in weeks, but only if the operator knows exactly what you need. Enquiries that say "we need an aircraft for six months, please quote" sit in an inbox while the operator works out what to ask. Enquiries with the right details get priced.
This is the checklist we work through with every client before we go to operators. Send us as much of it as you can, and whatever you do not know yet, say so. "To be confirmed" is a useful answer. Silence is not.
1. The mission
In a sentence or two: what will the aircraft do? Scheduled passenger service, seasonal peak, crew rotation to a mine, cargo shuttle, humanitarian support, sports team tour. The mission tells the operator which type, which configuration and which crew experience you need before you name any of them.
2. Aircraft
Passenger: minimum seat count, cabin classes, and any requirement for a specific type because of your crews, handlers or contracts.
Cargo: typical cargo, its density, weekly tonnage, the biggest single piece and any dangerous goods. Let the operator propose the type. Naming one too early can rule out a better fit.
3. Base and network
The home base where the aircraft will overnight
Every airport on the planned network, including occasional ones
Any short, unpaved or high altitude airfields, with runway length and surface
The network drives the aircraft choice, the insurance territory and the permits, so the full list matters more than the main route.
4. Schedule and hours
Either a draft weekly schedule, or an estimate of block hours per month. From that the operator works out the minimum guaranteed hours, the crew sets and the utilisation, which are the main drivers of the hourly rate.
If the flying varies by season, say how. A lease that covers a peak and a quiet month may be priced differently from a flat one.
5. Dates and term
Target start date, and how firm it is
Term: weeks, a season, or years
Any extension options you want to hold
Longer terms usually earn better rates. Short notice starts limit the choice of aircraft.
6. Permits and slots
Who will apply for the operating permits and traffic rights, and do you already hold the airport slots? For seasonal operations into slot coordinated airports, this is often the critical path. See our note on winter 737-800 and A320 wet leases for why.
7. Insurance and compliance
Any liability limit your own clients or authorities require, and any audit standard the operator must hold: IOSA for airline codeshares, BARS for mining and energy work. See why BARS matters for crew rotation.
8. Who the contracting party is
The legal entity that will sign the lease, where it is registered, and whether it is the end user or acting for one. Operators run compliance checks on the lessee, so being clear here saves time later.
What you get back
With these details an operator can quote:
An hourly rate for the minimum guaranteed hours and one for additional hours
The monthly minimum
Security deposit
Positioning costs to and from your base
Crew allowances and accommodation terms
The aircraft's registration, age and configuration
We then line the offers up on the same basis so you can compare them side by side.
Send us your requirement
Jetvice arranges ACMI, wet, damp and dry leases for passenger and cargo aircraft, from turboprops to widebodies, working directly with operators. Email your details to info@jetvice.net, or read more on our aircraft leasing page. For how the lease types compare, see ACMI vs dry lease vs wet lease.
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