VIP on Flight

[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" 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