The Federal Aviation Administration says an unqualified employee of a private jet company was at the helm of several flights last year, and now that company is facing a hefty fine.
The FAA alleged that Private Jets, Inc., a private jet and charter company based in Bethany, Oklahoma, had an employee on staff who piloted several charter flights last spring, despite not obtaining critical and legally required qualifications.
The FAA did not specify exactly how many flights the employee piloted, but said there were “several” that happened during at least April 2025.
That employee did not pass or even take the testing that was required to serve as a pilot-in-command or second-in-command, or even to be qualified to operate the type of aircraft they allegedly operated.
The testing and qualifications were not obtained at all during the previous year prior to the flights, FAA officials continued.
On Wednesday, the FAA proposed fining Private Jets, Inc. $104,000 for allegedly violating the pilot qualifications regulations. The company has been given 30 days to respond to the federal agency.
According to Private Jets’ website, the company has locations at the Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City, as well as at the San Antonio International Airport.
Read More: Bidding war expected for Spirit Airlines’ former slots at LaGuardia
The company boasts about its high-quality aircraft and luxury service aboard its charter flights, and says its team is personally committed to providing a level of service that exceeds expectations.
The company’s fleet includes “Learjets, Citations, Hawkers, Beechjets and Legacy 600s,” according to its website.
Private Jets Inc., also says its safety standards are a pillar of its business.
“At Private Jets, Inc., safety is our number one priority. We maintain stringent safety programs that exceed FAA requirements and our pilots that are put through a rigorous training and certification process,” the company website reads.
Read More: Airlines are moving in to wine country airport abandoned by Avelo
Rabble News has reached out to Private Jets, Inc., for comment and are waiting to hear back.
FAA has fined several major carriers recently
The FAA has been busy in recent weeks as it threatened major air carriers with six-figure fines for various violations.
Late last month, it proposed a $165,000 fine against Alaska Airlines for allegedly allowing intoxicated passengers to board its planes despite federal regulations prohibiting it. The FAA made similar threats to American Airlines and Southwest Airlines over alleged drug and alcohol violations among its staff, including flight attendants, airline mechanics and, in Southwest’s case, an undisclosed amount of pilots.
Like Private Jets, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines were each given 30 days to respond.
For more stories like this, follow Rabble News on Instagram and Facebook.
