Article on Sports Charters at Delta

[ultrarunner]

I always liked doing sports charters. Classier group...

 

[DTW320]

Usually a lot of fun for the crews and a HUGE money maker for the airline.

The NBA program at Delta originated at NWA on the 727. Corporate interior with floor mounted mahogany tables and huge leather Captain's swivel chairs.

The teams loved the ability to board via the aft airstairs. During the offseason they would be swapped back to normal interior but a few would stay configured and they would sell charters to a variety of folks.....White house press corp charters (chasing Air force One around usually in and out of Andrews), even bands. Heck NWA flew the Rolling Stones and Alice Cooper around on those 72's for a while....talk about the good old days...THOSE were fun.

Program went away when NWA retired the 727's but returned later using A319's as the article mentioned.

The food is usually pretty amazing...not so much for grabbing leftovers (good luck beating the F/A's and ground crews to the goodies) but the crew meals are the same stuff as well as the occasional pre-departure platter brought up.

Usually a good deal for the crews overall and flying these guys plus going in/out of FBO's is a nice break from the routine. The teams love'em, especially the NBA interiors, and the charter dudes say we have a waiting list for the program.

 

[GIZMONC]

Delta is just doing what NW did for years. NW had decidated 727-200 with same seating configuration. I will say this the traveling secretary for each team is a major PAIN IN THE ARSE. Working with the NY Yankees years ago flying from OAK-LGA nonstop he briefed the crew before leaving OAK. His briefing was very downgrading, telling the flight deck and the FA not to ask for signatures on paper or baseballs. He sat his butt in the front of the plane and slept most of the flight. Best player I ever had on a sport charter was Kenneth Gene Caminiti, God rest his soul.

 

[nimtz]

Hi, I guess you didn't read the actual food provided on those charters? If there are leftovers, we get them, including sushi, and all of the other meals. The Pro teams usually have the better food compared to the NCAA football teams, and that is where you see more Snickers bars, chicken sandwiches, etc. If you had actually read the article, you would see what the pro teams eat, and there are always leftovers, which are 10 times better than your RJ food. You also left out the Dove Bars I mentioned, for unknown reasons.

So, what kind of food do you eat on your RJ? What what? Exactly.



Bye Bye---General Lee

Wow leftover baller sushi?!? Play on fluffier!

 

[IAHERJ]

It's still fun now, but maybe not THAT fun. A lot of the food is not eaten by the teams, so there is always left overs, and that means bags full of Dove bars, huge Snickers, gatorades, and good stuff too, like Sushi and tasty chicken sandwiches. It's whatever the team and owners want. You also have to park at FBOs sometimes, which can be tight for a 767-300.


Bye Bye---General Lee

Yeah, we fly more NFL teams than anyone. I had an interesting trip into DCA in a 757-300(Saints use the 767-400 but we couldn't do it into DCA that day) one evening. We stayed the night in DC then flew them up to PVD after their white house visit. A 767-400 was waiting for us to return them to MSY after playing the Patriots. All the runways were short for the stretch 757 and of course the 767 but that is normal ops when doing charters. I enjoy the charters and the crews and all that goes into them. Continental flew more teams than anyone before we merged. We know how to treat the teams.

 

[jonjuan]

Delta flew the Saints to/from Miami after thei super bowl win. They must have known who treated them better.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOPP0USWa24&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Usually a lot of fun for the crews and a HUGE money maker for the airline.

The NBA program at Delta originated at NWA on the 727. Corporate interior with floor mounted mahogany tables and huge leather Captain's swivel chairs.

The teams loved the ability to board via the aft airstairs. During the offseason they would be swapped back to normal interior but a few would stay configured and they would sell charters to a variety of folks.....White house press corp charters (chasing Air force One around usually in and out of Andrews), even bands. Heck NWA flew the Rolling Stones and Alice Cooper around on those 72's for a while....talk about the good old days...THOSE were fun.

Program went away when NWA retired the 727's but returned later using A319's as the article mentioned.

The food is usually pretty amazing...not so much for grabbing leftovers (good luck beating the F/A's and ground crews to the goodies) but the crew meals are the same stuff as well as the occasional pre-departure platter brought up.

Usually a good deal for the crews overall and flying these guys plus going in/out of FBO's is a nice break from the routine. The teams love'em, especially the NBA interiors, and the charter dudes say we have a waiting list for the program.

Wow!!

You make it sound like those of us Bubba Gumps never did a charter before.....only NWA were the Masters at it!

We name all our planes Jen-Nay!!!!

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Yeah, we fly more NFL teams than anyone. Continental flew more teams than anyone before we merged. We know how to treat the teams.

Here comes the usual FI "Mine is bigger than yours" argument!

Standard!!!!

 

[bizicmo]

Hi, when there are capacity cuts to normal routes, that means certain plane types aren't used as much. Those excess planes are now used on charters, and there are also many other charters done, like MAC charters. Using planes instead of leaving them parked is A GOOD THING. The teams choose the flight attendants, they are paying for the plane. If they are cranky, they are gone. It must be working out well, look at the profits. You have no idea what you are talking about, obviously. And, you are jealous.



Bye Bye---General Lee

I like it, you make a nice clean post with just information and then the last sentence you have to throw in the jealous remark. That last sentence made me laugh. bravo

 

[General Lee]

I like it, you make a nice clean post with just information and then the last sentence you have to throw in the jealous remark. That last sentence made me laugh. bravo

You're welcome. It is a lucrative business, and uses planes during the slow season, which is good. And your remarks warranted that response.


Bye Bye---General Lee