Question 1

How do I book a seat on a shared flight?

Accepted Answer

Booking happens in three steps: you find a flight, you choose the number of seats and your date, then you confirm your request. At this stage your card isn't charged: a simple pre-authorisation secures the payment while you wait for the pilot to reply. Search anywhere in Europe, by town and radius around you, or directly by an airfield's ICAO code. Filters refine the list: number of seats, budget, aircraft type and flight category. You can even book a seat on a flight offered in another European country. Enter the number of seats, your preferred date and your availability window, then confirm. A booking that isn't finalised within 30 minutes of the request expires automatically. You just start again.

Question 2

When is my card charged?

Accepted Answer

Not when you make the request. When you book, your bank only records a pre-authorisation: a hold that sets the amount aside, with no charge. The money doesn't move until the pilot has accepted. The payment is then captured: it's at that moment, the moment of acceptance, that your card is actually charged. The funds are then held in escrow until the flight, and the pilot is only paid once the flight has taken place. If the request is declined, goes unanswered, or the booking is left unpaid, the hold is released and no transaction appears on your account.

Question 3

What happens if the pilot declines or doesn't reply?

Accepted Answer

The pilot has 24 hours to respond to your request. They, and they alone, decide whether the flight is feasible. Whatever their answer, you risk nothing financially. The pre-authorisation is released immediately. No amount is taken: there is strictly no transaction on your account. After 24 hours with no reply, the request closes on its own and the hold is released. It isn't a refusal: the pilot simply didn't have time to decide. You're then free to book another flight.

Question 4

What if the flight is cancelled because of the weather?

Accepted Answer

If the pilot cancels the flight for weather or safety reasons, you are refunded in full, and automatically. There's nothing for you to do on your side. The pilot remains the sole judge of whether the flight can go ahead. A sky clouding over, a wind too strong: a postponed flight is better than a risky one. That decision is theirs, and it's made in your interest.

Question 5

Is the time slot I choose the take-off time?

Accepted Answer

No. The slot you select (morning, afternoon, evening or all day) describes your availability, not a take-off time. You tell the pilot when you're free, and they arrange the rest. It's the pilot who determines the actual flight time, based on everyone's availability, the weather and their aircraft. The exact time is then agreed directly with them.

Question 6

How do I contact the pilot before the flight?

Accepted Answer

Through the built-in messaging. It opens once the pilot has accepted your flight: you then talk to them directly, without sharing your personal contact details. Until the pilot accepts, messaging stays closed — deliberately. Before acceptance no payment is captured; opening contact would allow arranging a deal outside Volara, where you would no longer be protected. It activates automatically as soon as the pilot accepts. To accept, the pilot relies on your profile — how long you've been a member, flights already taken — not on a prior chat. Once the flight is confirmed, you agree together on the time and meeting point.

Question 7

Where do I meet the pilot on the day of the flight?

Accepted Answer

The pilot can specify a precise meeting point, for example a gate, a club car park or a reception area. A link opens the route directly in Google Maps. Please note: the link guides you to the airfield, not to the exact meeting point. An airfield spans several hundred metres, with several entrances. The precise spot is always agreed with the pilot in the messaging.

Question 8

How is the price of a seat on a cost-sharing flight calculated?

Accepted Answer

With a cost-sharing flight, you're not buying a ticket: you share the real costs of the flight with the pilot and the other passengers. The price shown is therefore your share of the flight's direct costs (fuel, airport charges, the aircraft's hourly operating cost), plus the Volara service fee. It's the pilot who decides, when publishing the listing, how these costs are split. Depending on the flight, the pilot offers one of these two modes. With a fixed contribution, they set an amount per seat, the same for everyone. With an equal split, the flight's costs are divided between everyone actually on board, including the pilot. The chosen mode is shown on the flight details page. Whatever the mode, the pilot can never ask you for more than a fair share of the costs. Volara checks every listing to make sure. You pay a contribution towards the costs, never a profit.

Question 9

Why does the price per person go down when there are more of us?

Accepted Answer

This only happens on flights offered with an equal split. The flight's costs are fixed: they don't change with the number of people on board. The more of you there are to share them, the less each person pays. The pilot always counts among the occupants who split the costs. The flight's direct costs are divided between all occupants, including the pilot. With two occupants, they're split in two; with three, in three; and so on. Each extra person therefore lowers everyone's share. On a flight with a fixed contribution, the amount per seat is set in advance by the pilot. It stays the same regardless of the number of bookings. So this mode brings no reduction when there are more of you.

Question 10

Fixed contribution or equal split: which mode should you choose?

Accepted Answer

It's the pilot who chooses the mode when publishing the flight. Both comply with the law and guarantee that the pilot earns nothing. They differ mainly in how flexible the bookings are and in how the price changes with the number of passengers. The pilot sets a stable amount per seat. Several passengers can each book the same flight independently. Any seats that go unsold remain at the pilot's expense. This is the most flexible mode for opening a flight to independent bookings. The costs are divided between the people actually on board, so the price per person goes down when there are more of you. In return, only one booking is possible per flight and per date. This mode suits a group booking together in one go.

Question 11

Does the pilot make money on a cost-sharing flight?

Accepted Answer

No, never. That's the very principle of cost-sharing: the pilot shares the real costs of the flight, pays their own share and cannot make any profit. If they made a profit, the flight would no longer be cost-sharing but a commercial transport service, which the law prohibits in this context. With a fixed contribution, the amount per seat is capped at the share of a single occupant, that is, the direct cost divided by the number of occupants, including the pilot. With an equal split, the costs are divided between all occupants and only one booking is accepted per date. In both cases, the pilot never recovers more than their share of the expense. The service fee you pay goes to Volara, never to the pilot. It's added to your contribution and doesn't change the fact that the pilot, too, covers their own share of the costs.

Question 12

What is the Volara service fee and who pays it?

Accepted Answer

The service fee pays for the platform. It amounts to 20% of your contribution to the costs, to which a fixed portion may be added. It's at your expense, on top of the share paid to the pilot for the flight. The booking summary always itemises the two amounts separately: your contribution to the costs on one side, the service fee on the other. The total shown is exactly what you pay, with no surprises at the end. It funds the running of Volara: connecting people, secure payment and support. The pilot receives none of it.

Question 13

Why can't I book an equal-split flight that's already booked for that day?

Accepted Answer

With an equal split, the price depends on the number of people on board. If two separate bookings were made on the same day, each would divide the costs on its own side. Together, they would exceed the real cost of the flight and the pilot would profit, which the law prohibits. To keep the maths fair, only one booking is possible per flight and per date. Book all the seats together, in one go. The more of you there are on board, the lower the price per person. In that case, they publish two separate listings, one per departure (a button lets them duplicate the flight). Each departure is a separate flight, with its own costs and its own booking. Choose another date on the same listing, or opt for a flight offered with a fixed contribution, which does accept several independent bookings.

Question 14

Who can offer a cost-shared flight on Volara?

Accepted Answer

Offering a cost-shared flight is reserved for private pilots. You need a private pilot licence (EASA PPL) and an account verified by Volara. You share the costs of a flight you would have made anyway: you are not selling seats. If you operate flights commercially, you fall under commercial air transport, not cost-sharing. That requires an Air Operator Certificate and goes through an operator account, which is separate from the pilot account. You are free to create your listing: it starts as a draft that you can review and complete at your own pace. Publishing it, however, is only possible once your account has been checked by Volara.

Question 15

Which documents do I need to provide to offer a flight?

Accepted Answer

To be verified as a pilot, you submit four documents: your private pilot licence, your valid medical certificate, a proof of identity, and an insurance certificate covering the carriage of passengers on cost-shared flights. Many general aviation policies exclude the carriage of third parties. Without an extension that explicitly covers carrying passengers on cost-shared flights, your passengers would be flying uninsured. Check this point with your insurer before submitting your certificate. Until your documents have been verified, your listing stays as a draft. This is what guarantees that a passenger never books a flight with a pilot whose documents have not been checked.

Question 16

Is my aircraft eligible for cost-sharing?

Accepted Answer

Your aircraft must fall under EASA and must not be a 'complex motor-powered aircraft'. The vast majority of flying club aeroplanes and helicopters meet this condition. An aeroplane is complex if it exceeds 5,700 kg at take-off, is certified for more than 19 passenger seats, requires two pilots, or has a jet engine (or more than one turboprop). For a helicopter, the thresholds are 3,175 kg, 9 seats, or two pilots. A single one of these criteria is enough to exclude it from cost-sharing. A single-engine turboprop is not complex: a TBM or a PC-12 remains eligible. A twin turboprop, on the other hand, is not. It is surprising, but that is exactly what the regulation says. Without this figure, Volara cannot establish that your aircraft is not complex, and the listing cannot be published. Enter it carefully in the aircraft details.

Question 17

Can I offer a cost-shared flight with a microlight?

Accepted Answer

Not for now. Cost-sharing is not open to microlights on Volara. You can, however, offer your flight with a certified aircraft. The European exemption that allows cost-sharing only covers aircraft that fall under EASA. Microlights are listed in Annex I of the European regulation: they fall solely under national law, whose content on this point is not settled. Rather than rely on an unverified analogy, we prefer to wait. If you also fly an EASA-certified, non-complex aircraft, you can absolutely offer a cost-shared flight with it today.

Question 18

How do I describe the scenery and viewpoints of my flight?

Accepted Answer

In the 'What you fly over' section, add viewpoints and stops. Each one is described with a title and, if you wish, a short description. A bay, a castle, a headland: this is what makes your passengers want to come along. You don't have to say much. Even a simple title helps your passengers picture what they are going to discover, and those words help your listing stand out in search engines. You can paste a Google Maps link for a viewpoint. It is not required, but it places the point on your listing's map. Without a link, the point simply stays displayed in the list.

Question 19

Can I edit my listing after a booking?

Accepted Answer

Yes, partly. As long as no passenger has booked, you can change everything freely. Once a booking is committed, certain elements are locked, because a passenger booked, and paid, based on specific information. The route (departure and arrival), the duration, the number of seats and the amount no longer change once a booking is committed. These are the elements the passenger committed to. The title, the description, the photos, the aircraft details and your viewpoints stay editable, even with bookings in progress. So you can correct a mistake or enrich your listing at any time. If the route or the seats have to change, take the listing offline and create a new one. That way your bookings and their invoices stay intact.

Question 20

Who can rent an aircraft on Volara?

Accepted Answer

Bare-hull aircraft rental is available to private individuals and private companies only. And one condition is essential: the renter must be a pilot. You rent the aircraft on its own, without a crew, and you act as its pilot in command. To rent, you need a pilot account whose profile has been verified by Volara. Your documents must have been uploaded, checked and approved. As long as verification is still in progress, booking remains blocked. The rented aircraft is for your private flights only. Carrying passengers or cargo for payment, aerial work, flight training and subletting are prohibited. Sharing costs between occupants, with no profit to you, remains possible within the limits set by the regulations.

Question 21

What documents do I need to provide to rent an aircraft?

Accepted Answer

Every pilot is asked for three documents: your pilot licence, your medical certificate and your ID. You upload them in your partner area, and Volara validates them before you can book. Each document must be current and stay valid until the end of your rental, not just at the start. A medical certificate that expires during the period, for example, prevents booking. Remember to upload up-to-date documents. For certified aircraft, your class or type rating must also be valid. Some aircraft additionally require a minimum number of flight hours: this requirement is shown on the listing. For a microlight, the fitness rules specific to that category apply.

Question 22

How does the deposit work?

Accepted Answer

The deposit is simply a card hold. The amount is held by your bank on your own card: it is neither charged nor kept by Volara or the owner. It serves as a guarantee, not a payment. The hold is set up at departure, not when the booking is agreed. A card authorisation is only valid for a few days: placing it too early would make it useless on the day of the flight. If the aircraft is returned undamaged, the hold is released and your bank frees up the amount. Nothing is charged to you. The deposit is never taken on simple request. The owner must file a substantiated and justified claim. You then have a set period to dispute it, after which Volara decides.

Question 23

What is the difference between the deposit and the insurance excess?

Accepted Answer

On Volara, the deposit equals the excess on the aircraft's insurance. These are not two amounts that add up: it is the same one. This amount represents the maximum that may remain payable by you in the event of damage. The excess is the share of a claim that the insurer does not reimburse and that remains payable by the policyholder. It is the actual deductible on the owner's policy. Volara records it when checking the aircraft, and displays it as the deposit amount. The deposit does not cover you. It only serves to guarantee the excess and any shortfalls. Beyond the excess, the owner's insurance policy takes over.

Question 24

What happens if I damage the aircraft during the rental?

Accepted Answer

The aircraft's insurance covers the claim. Your exposure is capped: at most, only the excess remains payable by you, that is, the deposit amount. You never pay more than that under the deposit. After the return, the owner can file a substantiated and justified claim within 7 days. With no claim in that time, the deposit is released as normal. If a claim is filed, you have 72 hours to dispute it. Volara then reviews the evidence from both parties and decides. Nothing is charged automatically. If an amount is to be retained, it is capped by the aircraft's excess and paid to the owner, never to an insurer. It is then up to the owner to claim on their policy for the rest.

Question 25

What is a checkout flight?

Accepted Answer

A checkout flight, or check flight, is a flight carried out with an instructor or with the owner before your first rental of the aircraft. It confirms that you are comfortable at the controls of that specific aircraft. It may be requested by the owner before the first use of their aircraft. This is a normal precaution: every aircraft has its own particularities, and the owner wants to make sure you take the controls with confidence. The requirement for a checkout flight is shown on the aircraft's listing, in the rental conditions. So you know before booking whether a check flight will be necessary.

Question 26

How do I list my aircraft for rental on Volara?

Accepted Answer

It all starts in your partner area. You declare your aircraft, upload its documents, Volara reviews them, and then the listing goes live. Until the review is complete, your aircraft is neither visible nor rentable: that is normal, and it is what protects everyone. The model, the registration, the type (aeroplane or helicopter), the number of seats, the year and the maximum take-off weight. The home base is chosen with autocomplete: you type a name or a code, and the ICAO code resolves the aircraft's location on its own. You add your photos, the hourly rate, the deposit, the minimum experience required of the pilot, the airworthiness category, the insurer, the policy number and the pilot clause. Listing for rental requires an owner, pilot or operator account. A simple passenger account is not enough: the declaration is binding, because it attests to airworthiness, insurance and a contract. You can change your account type from your profile. Amateur-built aircraft and restricted airworthiness categories (CNRA, CNSK, CNRAC, CDNR) cannot be rented out for payment: they are rejected at the declaration stage. Likewise, a policy with a named-pilot clause does not cover a renter: an open-pilot clause is required.

Question 27

What documents do I need to provide to rent out my aircraft?

Accepted Answer

Three documents, uploaded directly when you declare the aircraft: the certificate of airworthiness (or the microlight identification card), the latest airworthiness review, and the insurance certificate. It is on this certificate that Volara checks both the cover for renting to third parties and the openness of your pilot clause: these are not separate documents, but two items read from the same one. For an aircraft holding a certificate of airworthiness (CofA), you need the certificate of airworthiness and a valid airworthiness review certificate (ARC). For a microlight, the identification card is enough: it has neither a CofA nor a review to provide. In every case, the insurance certificate is essential. The policy must cover renting to third parties, not just you. It must also carry an open-pilot clause: a named-pilot clause does not cover a renter, who by definition is not named in the contract. Without this, the application cannot be approved. You upload them during the declaration, along with your photos. Volara bases its review on these documents and these alone: the more complete and legible they are, the faster the check.

Question 28

Why does Volara have to verify my aircraft before putting it online?

Accepted Answer

Because what you enter in the form has, in itself, no evidential value. If Volara simply copied your answers, every owner would be self-certifying and the "verified" label shown to renters would no longer mean anything. So Volara takes its information from your documents, not from your declaration. The actual airworthiness category, the expiry of the airworthiness review, the expiry and scope of your insurance, and the extent of your pilot clause. These details are read from the certificate and the insurance document, one by one, by a person at Volara. An approved application means a renter who genuinely flies covered, and you just as much. Your insurer requires it too. An aircraft marked "verified" is one that Volara publicly stands behind. The expiry dates keep the listing alive: when the airworthiness review or the insurance lapses, the aircraft automatically stops being visible and rentable. If Volara withdraws a verification, the listing goes offline straight away.

Question 29

Do I set the deposit myself?

Accepted Answer

Not quite. You suggest an amount when you declare the aircraft, but it is only an estimate. During the review, Volara aligns the deposit with the actual excess on your policy, as read from your insurance certificate. This field has deliberately been removed from the form. The excess is the deductible on your own policy: Volara reads it from your documents rather than having you copy it in. The deposit is then set to this figure: deposit equals excess. It is the fairest option for both sides. The renter is never held for more than they could actually owe, and you are covered down to the last cent of your excess. Nobody relies on a rough estimate.

Question 30

If something goes wrong, who receives the deposit?

Accepted Answer

The deposit is paid to you, the owner. It is then up to you to call on your own insurance policy to repair the damage. During the rental, the deposit is held on the renter's card without being charged. It is only taken on a justified claim, in the event of an incident. The amount then goes to you. The deposit matches your excess: it covers the share that remains payable by you. For the rest of the claim, your policy steps in, just as it would for any damage to your aircraft.

Question 31

Can I edit or delete my aircraft's listing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as long as Volara has not yet verified your aircraft: at this stage you can edit everything, including a mistyped registration, and even delete the listing entirely. Once the aircraft is verified, its identity and technical data no longer change here: model, type, registration, seats, year, home base, maximum weight, insurer and policy number. That makes sense: the review covered this specific aircraft, with these characteristics. The hourly rate, the deposit, the minimum experience, the description, the photos, the type checkout and whether the listing is live all remain editable at any time. These are your commercial settings: they do not affect compliance. To change locked data, write to Volara: a new verification will be needed. Deletion is refused if rentals are under way on the aircraft (the history must be kept): in that case, take the listing down to stop offering the aircraft, without erasing the past.

Question 32

When will I be charged after booking a flight?

Accepted Answer

With cost-sharing flights, nothing is charged when you book. Volara only places a hold on your card, meaning a simple authorisation. The amount is verified by your bank, but not a single euro leaves your account until the pilot has accepted your request. As soon as the pilot accepts, the amount is actually charged and placed in escrow until the flight. If the pilot declines your request, or doesn't respond, the hold is released: you have paid nothing and no fees are charged to you. On a flight offered by a professional operator, the booking is firm as soon as it is confirmed. Payment is therefore taken straight away, with no acceptance step.

Question 33

What is escrow on Volara?

Accepted Answer

Escrow is a neutral space where your money is kept safe between the payment and the flight. During this time, neither you, nor the pilot, nor Volara can access this amount. It is simply held securely until the flight takes place. When the pilot accepts your request, the funds are captured and then held in escrow with our payment provider, Stripe. They stay there until the day of the flight. Once the flight has taken place, the contribution goes to the pilot and Volara keeps its service fee. This system protects everyone. You have the guarantee that your money is not paid to the pilot before the flight has actually taken place, and the pilot has the guarantee of being paid once they have taken you up.

Question 34

How do I get a refund if my flight doesn't take place?

Accepted Answer

It all depends on the reason for the cancellation. In several cases you have nothing to do: the refund or the release of the hold is automatic. If the flight is cancelled for weather or safety reasons, you are refunded in full, automatically. There is nothing you need to do. If the pilot declines your request or doesn't respond, the hold placed on your card is released. You have paid nothing, and no fees are charged to you. If you are the one cancelling your booking, the scale set out in our terms and conditions applies. Depending on when you cancel, a portion may remain payable. Optional cancellation insurance may be offered to you at the time of booking. It is only available when Volara is able to distribute it; if the option does not appear during your booking process, it is not being offered at the moment.

Question 35

Is the rental deposit charged to my card?

Accepted Answer

No. The deposit is a hold, not a charge. The amount is simply blocked by your bank on your own card. Neither Volara nor Stripe holds this money as long as nothing is charged. The hold is placed at the start of the flight, not at the time of the agreement. This is normal: a card authorisation is only valid for a few days, whereas an agreement can be given several weeks in advance. Never on simple request. The owner must file a substantiated and justified claim. You then have a set period to contest it, after which Volara decides. The amount withheld is capped, and this sum goes to the owner, never to an insurer. At the end of the rental, if there is no claim, the hold is released. Your bank frees up the amount and you regain full use of your card.

Question 36

Are my payments secure on Volara?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All payments go through Stripe, a well-established payment provider. Volara does not store your card number: it is processed directly by Stripe, in a secure environment. With cost-sharing flights, as long as the pilot has not accepted, there is only a hold: no charge. Once accepted, your payment is held in escrow until the flight. It is only paid to the pilot after the flight has taken place. If the flight is cancelled for weather or safety reasons, you are refunded in full and automatically. If the pilot declines or doesn't respond, the hold is released and you pay nothing.

Question 37

When is the pilot paid?

Accepted Answer

The pilot is paid after the flight, never before. This is what guarantees that your money is only paid to them once the flight has actually taken place. When the pilot accepts your request, the amount is captured and then held in escrow. The pilot has no access to it during this period: the funds are kept safe until the day of the flight. Once the flight has taken place, the contribution goes to the pilot's account. Volara keeps its service fee. With cost-sharing flights, the pilot only receives a contribution towards the cost of the flight: they make no profit. VAT applies only to Volara's commission, that is, to its service fee. It does not apply to the contribution shared between the flight's occupants.

Question 38

Where do I upload my licence and supporting documents?

Accepted Answer

Everything happens in your account, under My account, in the My documents section. It's a private space that only you can see. This section is reserved for pilot, owner and operator accounts: a passenger has nothing to prove, so they don't see it. Choose the type of document (licence, medical certificate, ID document, insurance, airworthiness certificate, etc.), give it a title, add the file (image or PDF), then confirm. The document is then sent to the Volara team for verification. Each document displays its status: awaiting review, approved or rejected. An approved document is locked. To update it, simply upload a new version: it goes back for verification in turn, without deleting the previous one.

Question 39

Can passengers see my licence and my papers?

Accepted Answer

No. Your licence, your medical certificate and your ID document stay private. They live in My account, they are reviewed only by the Volara team, and are never shown to passengers. Only your public introduction: your bio, which you write in My profile. That's the only text on the passenger side. Don't confuse the two: your public profile is visible to everyone, while My documents stays in your private space. A licence, a medical certificate or an ID document are sensitive documents. Volara checks them for the safety of the flights on offer, then keeps them out of sight. You show your bio, not your papers.

Question 40

What is the tax identity that Volara asks me for?

Accepted Answer

It's the information the platform needs in order to report, as the law requires, the amounts you receive. We only ask for it from accounts that can receive money: pilot, owner and operator. A passenger doesn't have to fill it in. Depending on whether you're an individual or a professional: your tax details, your tax number and your date of birth, or, for a company, its registration number. You enter and correct this data yourself: it's yours. It's an obligation that applies to all platforms (the European rules known as DAC7). A complete file saves you from unpleasant surprises. Volara simply flags any missing information, so you can complete it in time.

Question 41

How do I get a copy of all my data?

Accepted Answer

Go to My account, right at the bottom, in the section devoted to your rights. Click the download button: you'll get a file containing the personal data that concerns you. Your account information, your activity on the platform (your flights, your rentals, etc.) and the messages you've written. This is your right of access: you can request it at any time. The reviews other people have written about you: they belong to their authors, not to you. Your password isn't included either, for your security.

Question 42

How do I delete my Volara account?

Accepted Answer

In My account, in the section devoted to your rights, you'll find the button to delete your account. For security, we ask for your password and for you to retype a confirmation word. Take the time to think it over: the operation is final. If your account has never involved a transaction, it is genuinely deleted. If it has past transactions, the law requires these accounting records to be kept: your account is then anonymised. Your personal data is erased, and only the entries remain, without your identity. The documents you've uploaded (licence, medical certificate, ID document) are destroyed in both cases. None of it is kept. Deletion can be paused as long as you still have commitments in progress. In that case, see the dedicated question: it explains what's blocking it and how to fix it.

Question 43

Why can't I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Because you still have commitments in progress. As long as a paid flight or an active rental links you to someone, deletion is paused. It's not a final refusal, just the time needed to settle what's committed. A confirmed or pending flight, whether you're a passenger or a pilot, and a rental that's been requested, approved, in progress or in dispute. On the other hand, a simple request that hasn't been paid yet blocks nothing. See these commitments through to the end: flight completed, rental returned, dispute resolved. Once none remain, you'll be able to delete your account as normal. It's a safeguard: we don't leave a passenger with a confirmed flight facing someone who has vanished.

Question 44

Is flying with Volara really legal?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Flying with Volara rests on a clear legal framework, not on a grey area. Cost-sharing flights, meaning the sharing of a flight's costs, are permitted under an exception in European law (Article 6(4a) of Regulation (EU) 965/2012). Commercial flights and empty legs, on the other hand, are reserved for professional operators holding an air operator certificate. This exception only applies when several conditions are met at the same time: the aircraft is not complex motor-powered, the flight carries no more than six occupants including the pilot, only the direct costs are shared, and the pilot makes no profit. The moment even one of these conditions fails, the flight becomes public transport, which a private pilot is not allowed to operate. We check these conditions when the pilot posts a listing, and again every time it is displayed. A listing whose pilot is no longer verified disappears on its own. So you only ever see flights that stay within the framework.

Question 45

What is the difference between cost-sharing and a commercial flight?

Accepted Answer

These are two very different things. Cost-sharing is a private pilot sharing a flight's costs with the passengers, without making any money. A commercial flight, or an empty leg, is paid air transport operated by a professional company. A private pilot who was going to fly anyway offers the free seats on board. Each occupant, including the pilot, pays their share of the flight's direct costs: fuel, charges, and the aircraft's hourly cost. The pilot pays their own share and makes no profit. This is the very heart of the exception. Commercial flights and empty legs fall under air transport for remuneration. They are reserved for operators holding an air operator certificate (AOC). A private pilot, even a verified one, is not allowed to offer them. Every listing states its type. Cost-sharing flights are operated by verified private pilots. Commercial flights and empty legs only appear if the operator holds a valid AOC.

Question 46

Why can't a shared flight carry more than six people?

Accepted Answer

Because it is one of the conditions that make a shared flight legal. Cost-sharing is limited to a maximum of six occupants including the pilot, meaning five passengers. Beyond that, the flight falls outside the scope of the exception. This rule comes from the European regulation that governs cost-sharing (Regulation (EU) 965/2012). It is not a commercial choice on our part: it is the very condition that permits cost-sharing. Six occupants, including the pilot, not one more. A flight that carries more people is no longer a sharing of costs between occupants: it becomes air transport, reserved for operators holding an AOC. That is why Volara does not accept a listing that exceeds this limit.

Question 47

Can I share the costs of an ultralight flight on Volara?

Accepted Answer

Not at the moment. Cost-sharing for ultralights is closed on Volara. Ultralights fall outside the scope of the European exception that permits cost-sharing, and we are waiting for a clear national framework before opening it. The exception that permits cost-sharing is written into a European regulation (Regulation (EU) 965/2012). It only covers aircraft under the remit of the European agency (EASA). Ultralights, by contrast, fall under national law, not this European text. Rather than build an activity on an uncertain legal analysis, we prefer to wait. As soon as a national framework is established, we will be able to reopen this option. In the meantime, you can offer your flight with a certified aircraft.

Question 48

What does the Verified by Volara label mean?

Accepted Answer

It means we have checked the partner's documents before letting them offer flights. For a pilot: their licence, medical certificate and insurance. For an operator: the elements linked to their air operator certificate. The verification is not done once and for all. Volara checks the partner's status when the listing is posted, and again each time it is displayed. If a pilot is no longer verified, their listings automatically disappear and can no longer be booked. You only see flights offered by pilots or operators whose documents have been checked and are valid at that moment. This is the foundation of trust at Volara: knowing who is taking you, and on what basis.

Question 49

Is the pilot properly insured when I book a shared flight?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is a condition for appearing on Volara. A private pilot must hold an insurance policy that covers carrying passengers on a cost-sharing basis. An operator, in turn, is covered under their certificate. Many general aviation policies exclude the carriage of third parties. Without an extension designed for this purpose, it is the passengers who would be flying uninsured, without even knowing it. European law also requires insurance cover for every flight (Regulation (EC) 785/2004). For a private pilot, insurance is one of the documents we verify. A cost-sharing listing only stays visible if the pilot is verified and their policy covers shared passengers. Otherwise, the listing disappears.

Question 50

When can I message the other person?

Accepted Answer

As soon as a booking or rental links you to the other person — but not at the same point in each case. For a flight, once the pilot has accepted your request. For a rental, as soon as you send your request, even before the owner accepts it. There's no open messaging between strangers: you only write to someone you have an active deal with. For a flight, contact opens only after acceptance: before that nothing is captured, and chatting would allow arranging a deal off the platform. For a rental it's the opposite — the owner needs to talk before accepting, to check your experience and the aircraft's availability. A declined or unanswered flight opens no conversation, since contact comes after acceptance. A declined or cancelled rental keeps its messages readable: nothing disappears, you simply can no longer add to it.

Question 51

How do I know which flight or rental we're talking about?

Accepted Answer

Every conversation recaps its booking at the top of the thread. There you'll find the route or the aircraft, the date and the amount, along with the name and role of the person you're talking to. For a flight: the route (departure to arrival), the date, the number of seats and the price. For a rental: the aircraft's model and registration, the dates of the period and the price. The thread also shows who you're exchanging with, their name and their role: pilot or passenger, owner or renter. You'll never mix up two bookings, even if you have several on the go.

Question 52

Who sets the meeting point?

Accepted Answer

It's the partner: the pilot for a flight, the owner for a rental. They alone know their airfield, so they're the one who picks the exact spot where you'll meet. The passenger or renter can't change the meeting point. It's a safeguard: you don't move a meeting point you don't control. If the spot isn't clear to you, just ask for details directly in the conversation. Once the booking is completed or declined, the meeting point can no longer be changed, just like the chat.

Question 53

Where is the meeting point?

Accepted Answer

The partner describes the spot in plain words, for example "club-house, east gate." If they've added an exact location, the meeting-point link takes you straight to the directions. The pilot or owner can paste a Google Maps link that points to a precise marker. The link then opens the directions all the way to that point, not just to the entrance of the airfield. If no location has been added, the directions take you to the airfield. The description is then your guide: an aerodrome is a big place with several entrances, so read the details carefully (gate, car park, club) to arrive at the right spot.

Question 54

Can I pay for the flight outside Volara?

Accepted Answer

No. Always pay for your flight on Volara and keep your messages in the chat. That's the rule, and it's what protects both parties. A payment made outside isn't linked to any booking and leaves no record. On Volara, your payment stays tied to the flight, the date and the amount: everything is clear, for you and for the partner alike. If a pilot, an owner or a passenger offers to settle in cash, by bank transfer or on another app, decline and carry on through Volara. If in doubt, report it to us.

Question 55

How do I use my Volara gift card?

Accepted Answer

It's very simple. When you book a flight, just enter your gift card code. Its balance is applied to your booking right away. If your card is enough to cover the full amount, there's nothing else to pay. The booking is sent without going through your bank card. No problem. The card balance is deducted from the total, and you simply pay the rest by bank card, as usual. As soon as the balance reaches zero, the card is closed: it has done its job and its code can no longer be used.

Question 56

Which flights can I use my gift card on?

Accepted Answer

Your gift card can be used on a flight offered in the country where it was issued. A card bought in France is therefore used to book a flight in France. Each market has its own cards, and codes don't carry over from one country to another. A card therefore can't be used on a flight in another country: the booking is declined. Just go by the country of issue shown on the card. As long as the flight belongs to that same country, your balance applies as normal.

Question 57

What happens if the pilot declines my booking paid for with a gift card?

Accepted Answer

You don't lose a thing. If the pilot declines the request, the balance committed from your gift card is returned to you in full. The same applies if your request expires because the pilot didn't respond: the balance isn't used up and goes back onto your card. Once returned, the card becomes active again with its balance. You can use it again on another flight in its country of issue.

Question 58

Can I give a gift card to a specific person?

Accepted Answer

Yes. At checkout, you can personalise the card with the recipient's name and a short message. A card can also be registered, meaning it is reserved for one particular account and can then only be used by that person. Linked to an account, the card only accepts bookings from its holder. No one else can use it, even if they know the code. This link is set up with Volara: it isn't applied automatically at the time of purchase. By default, a gift card works as a bearer card: anyone who has the code can use it, on a flight in its country of issue. You can still add the recipient's name and a message at checkout. Handy for gifting when you don't yet know who will enjoy it.

How can we help?

Booking a shared flight

How the price is calculated

Offering a flight (pilots)

Renting an aircraft (renters)

Listing your aircraft (owners)

Payments, escrow and refunds

Account, documents and data

Safety and legal framework

Messaging and meeting point

Gift cards