VIP on Flight

[Arthur T]

Sorry if you may find this thread a bit stupid...

Players from AFL, NRL or A-League needs to travel inter-state to play games against other teams and from scenes on Sports Tonight you can see players often travel on Qantas CityFlyer service.

In addition we also see celebrities like Kyle Sanderland months ago taking Qantas CityFlyer service.

I noticed Business Class seats are fairly limited for such a large group like AFL or NRL team members and I believe those players are travelling Economy Class as I saw on TV.

That means other commuters travelling on CityFlyer planes might have a chance to meet or even sit next together with those sports team members, and where if any of them are lucky to travel on Business Class, they might be able to sit next to big celebrities such as Jessica Mauboy, Ricki-Lee, Stephanie Rice etc.

Hence I just wondering if on the same plane with those celebrities or players there are die-hard fans or even Paparazzi or News Reporters accompany them just like what Ten News often put their camera and filming those players sleeping on CityFlyer whether those VIP will feel annoyed and what Qantas to do to prevent this to happen.

For eg. if Stephanie Rice appears at SYD T3 then there's a group of people requesting photo + signature from her but she doesn't feel like to do so or similar things happen on plane but the fans are so die-hard to follow or beg her what can Qantas do? Any secret passage for these passengers and any special arrangements that would enable her to sit alone on the plane to prevent this from happen?

Also I just wondering for such a large group of AFL or NRL players (talking about 30 - 40 people on one go), whether it will be more feasible to charter a Virgin Blue E70 for their own rather than taking Qantas CityFlyer and jam into a Boeing 737 or 767 as the others do that can enable them more privacy also comfort for the players?

Finally, if you are that luck enough to sit next to a star (like Jess Mauboy or Steph Rice) or a AFL member, what will you do? Will you make friends with them?

[Matthew H]

Also I just wondering for such a large group of AFL or NRL players (talking about 30 - 40 people on one go), whether it will be more feasible to charter a Virgin Blue E70 for their own rather than taking Qantas CityFlyer and jam into a Boeing 737 or 767 as the others do that can enable them more privacy also comfort for the players?

Finally, if you are that luck enough to sit next to a star (like Jess Mauboy or Steph Rice) or a AFL member, what will you do? Will you make friends with them?

From what I have seen, Qantas usually block out entires rows for sporting teams when they are travelling together. Sometimes they have their own check in, like other large groups can organise.

When travelling in business class they are like any other business class traveller, a quick smile/greeting and that is it. Usually they are in the QF Club, so are away from the hard core fans.

[Daniel F]

I was on a flight earlier this year between Melbourne and Hobart with the Australian and South African cricket teams. The Australian team was seated towards the front of economy and the South African team was further to the back. Punter was just 3 rows in front of me!

The flight was upgraded from a 737 to a 767.

[Arthur T]

Re Matthew:

That's reasonable for a group travellers to block out the entire row for them. If a group ticket is not assigned together think even that's a normal group will definitely blame Qantas.

But will they block out another row between other commuters and them? Otherwise hard core fans can still disturb them if they sit the row behind.

Re Daniel:

Why they needa sit separately on the plane? Looks weird, or just want to prevent those 2 teams fighting together on the plane?

[Gareth Forwood]

While cricket players sometimes have disagreements on the field, I can hardly see that carrying over to a flight (at least not for those two teams...). I think also that for the most part, people wouldn't know exactly what flight they are going to be on (esp for city combinations for which there are many daily flights like SYD-MEL). It would therefore be quite difficult to book yourself on the same flight ahead of time.

In terms of fans waiting for the flight's arrival, I don't think preventing/controlling this has anything whatsoever to do with Qantas or whatever airline they're flying. I think sometimes you see AFP or maybe state Police escorting VIPs if there's expected to be a big crowd.

[Jason H]

Qantas' most important VIP; Alan Joyce, was on QF108 from New York through to Sydney on Sep23. No special treatment for him, besides a first class seat of course; in fact the IFE system crashed. I would not want to be the CSM on that flight :o

[Gareth Forwood]

Somehow I don't think too many people want to pester Alan Joyce for his autograph :D

[Matthew H]

Re Matthew:

That's reasonable for a group travellers to block out the entire row for them. If a group ticket is not assigned together think even that's a normal group will definitely blame Qantas.

But will they block out another row between other commuters and them? Otherwise hard core fans can still disturb them if they sit the row behind.


From the flights I have been on, there is no buffer row between the public and sports team.

When there was a VIP on board, I wasn't treated any differently to them either, which is the way it should be, be it in economy or business. In fact I got an upgrade at the gate to business before some VIPs who where seated in economy on one flight.

[Arthur T]

Yeah, that could keep other commuters feel fair and concerned.

But how about an option of chartering a plane like a E70? Could it be economically more feasible than simply buying group ticket and travel?

Or maybe teams like Melbourne Storm should get sponsorship from Virgin Blue so that they can have free charter plane service or even have their team livery?

Think as for Australians are flying a lot, perhaps plane charter industry should be pretty popular, so how much would it be if teams are chartering a E70 say from MEL - SYD?

[Owen H]

Why are sporting teams so special they can't get on a flight with other passengers? This is Australia, where most people have the decency to allow privacy. I've travelled on the same flight as, and sat next to, many current and former celebrities, and apart from the odd autograph request, never seen anything that would bother them unduly.

Even had one flight where a rugby team were travelling home after a loss, sitting in economy with all the fans that had flown up to see them play. Not one passenger said anything inapropriate to a player.

As to what I'd do sitting next to someone? It depends on what they want. For me it has varied from Max Walker who was extremely chatty, to the former Governor General where we had a quick chat, to Matt Shirvington who, while polite, clearly had work he wished to do and I left him to it. VIP's are just people, and a simple "g'day" will let you know if they're keen for a chat, or just want to be left alone.

[Nick Te Mata]

The Brisbane Broncos have chartered Strategic Airlines aircraft in the past for their own personal use; from memory, their A320 has a Broncos decal applied to the fuselage. I believe their semi-final in Melbourne this year could only be achieved with the charter of a jet. I know that as far as the NRL is concerned, DJ sponsor Souths and Air NZ sponsor the Warriors however I can't recall either ever chartering a jet -- the sponsorship arrangments would presumably include a corporate deal for travel.

I've personally sat beside Steve Menzies (former Manly captain in the NRL) and Sam Neill on flights across to Auckland -- there's really very little special treatment. One FA went so far as to ask the Sea Eagles players, "So, what is it that you guys play?"

[Brandon Giacomin]

It was there A332 (VH-SSA) that had the broncos decals, it has since been removed.
I think it was only on for a couple weeks.
They have charted both strategic planes in the past.
I remember the A332 took them to TSV a couple rounds before the finals.
And i think that the A332 took them to MEL for the semi and the A320 took them back.

[Mark Grima]

I think the Broncos/Strategic partnership which lead to the charter flights is a little unique and will not become the norm next season.

From Memory the A330 flight to TSV was offered by Strategic possibly as some type of PR stunt for them. While the A320 flight to Melbourne was instigated by the Broncos as it turned out that both the 1st Grade (NRL) team and U20's played against Melbourne in the semis on the same night and with just 5 days notice they could not get all players and staff for both squads on the one commercial flight.

I've never travelled on a flight with a celebrity, I have however seen many at the airport and from what I have seen I have never seen any preference given to anyone from any airport staff. More often then fellow pax don't even take a second glance at them.

[Hugh Jarse]

I would hardly consider a sporting team as "VIPs" :D and worthy of special treatment, apart from blocking seats so they can all sit together.... and be less of a pain to the fare-paying PAX.

[Andrew P]

CIPs are more important to any airlines