3 Big Stars Still Using Private Charter Jets.
It’s not easy to avoid — if you have anything to do with a private plane, you probably aren’t feeling so good lately. The economy is in the tanks, the auto company executives made private jet travel look really bad, and a populist blow back against the idea of the corporate jet in general has really taken off.
And yet private jets remain important for thousands, and many big figures are using their planes unapologetically. To show you why the market is still vibrant, we’ve taken 3 of the most visible celebrities and profiled them below.
#1. Bill Clinton.
The former president has never stopped using his private jet, as his breakneck schedule, endless speeches, and dozens of fund raising efforts pretty much require him to be in as many places, as quickly as possible.
Plus, his recent diplomatic mission to North Korea — to negotiate the release of two American journalists — was done entirely by private plane. Clinton is the best example of a celebrity who uses his plane to get real business done, at a speed that would be completely unfathomable by flying commercial.
#2. Roger Federer.
The world’s greatest tennis player is a proud user of a private charter, and makes no excuses about it. While a private plane takes him to the various tennis tournaments — which he then proceeds to win, incredibly — it also serves another purpose.
See, Federer and his wife just had identical twins, and while Federer does often fly commercial, he is now relying on a private jet to allow him to rejoin the international tennis tour far earlier than normal. His wife and kids are happily in tow, but thanks to the convenience of the private plane, what would normally be a stressful experience is now easy and feasible — even for 1-month-old children.
#3. T. Boone Pickens.
Although the financial crisis has meant a downturn in fortunes for this famous investor and Texas, he commented recently that being able to watch the Oklahoma State Cowboys (a college football team) keeps him positive.
Pickens has put an unbelievable amount of money into his alma mater, and nowhere else is that money more evident than on the field. A few years ago, when he started contributing in earnest, the head coach asked him if he could be present for every home game. And he is — thanks to his private charter, which brings him straight there in a few hours.
Never mind the negative publicity — the people using private charters for frivolous, flashy reasons are too damaged from the crisis to deal with them anymore — but those people, like the three mentioned above, who need the convenience of private charters are easy enough to find riding one.