UK charter organisation Equinox Charter has earned its ARGUS Certified broker rating. ARGUS, The Air Charter Association-endorsed accreditation, aims to raise the bar for the standard of safety and service provided to charter users.

From its inception in 2021, Equinox says it has followed a ‘big company mentality’, developing a vision focused on conviction, integrity and acting in accordance with the very best industry-wide practices in alignment with company values. The company has chosen to prove its commitment to the highest standards, which is a key differentiator in a sector sometimes exposed to unethical practices due to a lack of legal requirements or qualifications to offer services.

The ARGUS certification ensures Equinox Charter follows the correct procedures in risk mitigation and due diligence, whether for operators, crew or surrounding any specific charter mission.

“We are thrilled at Equinox Charter having achieved ARGUS Certified status,” says Elliot Bottomley, managing director of Equinox Charter. “This accreditation goes beyond just a mark; it is proof that the way we conduct business on behalf of our clients is of the highest standards. We may be a small organisation, however we're big on service, and charter safety will always remain our top priority as we look forward to continuing to serve our diverse pool of clients.”

“The ARGUS Certified Charter Broker programme was designed to identify and promote leaders in the air charter broker industry,” adds Ed Wandall, VP at ARGUS International. “We certainly found that with the Equinox Charter team. During our on-site audit, Equinox displayed deep industry knowledge, care for the environment and a robust due diligence programme designed to pair quality flight providers with their discriminating clientele. We are honoured to award it ARGUS Certified Charter Broker status.”

To achieve ARGUS Certified status, Equinox Charter had to undergo a thorough face-to-face onsite audit carried out by ARGUS of company data, documentation and practices in three key areas: organisation and management, brokerage operations and customer considerations. Furthermore, for initial certification consideration and as part of the ARGUS registration process, companies need to have an approved and fully functioning operations manual. Here, the team needs to demonstrate exactly how internal bookings and operations procedures work. The certification process also requires demonstration of how brokers mitigate risk, problem-solve and have a comprehensive training plan in place.

“Part of our job is to provide our clients with assurance; when a client comes to us for an aircraft, they want to feel safe in the knowledge that we know what we are doing and are providing safe, reputable and reliable options. If an operator has not been used before, our clients need to know appropriate checks are conducted accordingly,” states Bottomley.

ARGUS has a rating system for operators, which demonstrates their adherence to an internationally recognised standard while indicating performance compared to competitors. Ratings have three levels; Gold, Gold Plus, and Platinum. Equinox Charter uses them, alongside those of Wyvern and IS-BAO to ensure safety standards are met and operators can be recommended comparatively.

The Air Charter Association chairman Kevin Ducksbury comments: “Members of The Air Charter Association agree to abide by our code of practice, which has been incorporated into the ARGUS broker programmes. We are delighted to see members further committed to demonstrate their professionalism and best practices by undertaking the audit process with ARGUS.

“The Air Charter Association, of which Equinox Charter is an active member, continuously pushes for safe and legal charter. Saturday 21st January marked the second 'Fly Legal Day', a campaign established in 2022 as part of a drive to stop illegal charters, still a huge problem for the private aviation industry. ARGUS accreditation supports a commitment to provide safe and legal operators only.”