Michele,
Just a quickie, are you a journalist by any chance. I don't mind but some people don't like talking to them here and question like this sometimes entices people out of the woodwork to spout out things that aren't true (and i'm sure i've done it at some point by accident), and some journos take this and run with it.
Now i'll give you my two pence worth. Charters have to comply with the same standards and regulations as any other airline operating. The government doesn't care whether you're scheduled or charter, one rule applies to all. Just look at the UK charter industry, one in particular has only had two crashes (1 fatal) ever. And i don't think there has been an accident in the current low cost carriers operating out of this country. (although some people believe it is only a matter of time)
However when you look at the document released by the government earlier this week you'll se it's not the airline that's the root of the problem but the civil aviation authority of that country. I'm not saying all airlines in one country are bad, some do take safety as one of their top priorities. However when your country is as cash strapped as some of those metioned i think your first priority is feeding your people and lining your own pockets (not neccesserily in that order) and aviation safety will only interest you when something bad happens. It seems to be endemic of many politicians to shut the stable door after the horse has fled to show their people 'that they care and will make sure it will never happen again' atleast not during their political careers. So i suppose the next time you book a flight look at whether you think the country of origin (of the airline) has transport safety in mind or not.
Anyways that was my opinion, and if any cares to disagree i'm all ears.